page_title: Higher education in Nova Scotia
section_title: Saint Mary's University (1802)
hierarchical_section_title: Higher education in Nova Scotia / History / Saint Mary's University (1802)
caption_attribution_description: Saint Mary's University, main entrance
context_page_description: Higher education in Nova Scotia refers to education provided by higher education institutions. In Canada, education is the responsibility of the provinces and there is no Canadian federal ministry governing education. Nova Scotia has a population of less than one million people, but is home to ten public universities and the Nova Scotia Community College, which offers programs at 13 locations.
context_section_description: Saint Mary's University was the first English speaking Roman Catholic university to be established in Canada. It was founded in 1802 by two Irish priests, Reverends Dease and O'Brien. Peter McGuigan, The Intrigues of Archbishop John T McNally and the Rise of Saint Mary's University, Fernwood publishing 2010. On March 29, 1841, an act of the Legislature incorporated Saint Mary's which enabled degree-granting privileges for eleven years, and the act included a four-year annual grant of $1,622; then it received permanent power to confer degrees in 1852.  Closed in 1883 by Archbishop Cornelius O'Brien due to lack of provincial funding, Saint Mary's would re-open as a high school in 1903, mainly due to the efforts of the same Archbishop of Halifax, Archbishop O'Brien. Saint Mary's University again became degree granting in 1918 after the 1913 arrival of the Irish Christian Brothers at this Saint Mary's College. In 1940 a Jesuit leadership was established. (McGuigan) and in 1970 the institution went public.
caption: McNally Building at Saint Mary's University
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