In the 1920s, Mother M. Pauline O’Neill, CSC was the president of Saint Mary’s College. In the Catalog of 1919-1920, the institution published a range of pertinent information for current students, including a statement of its Catholic values, tuition expenses, a description of social activities, a list of general rules, and a list of the vast majority of courses.

Students were either a part of the Collegiate, Academic (High School), or Preparatory Department (Grade School) depending on class. Students could study subjects such as Religion, Philosophy, English, Education, Journalism, History, Social Science, Science, Pharmacy, Home Economics, and Mathematics. At an extra expense, students could participate in elective courses in the arts, such as guitar, vocal class, needlework, or dancing. If students were attending the Collegiate or Academic Departments, their tuition rate consisted of an annual payment of $500 and a room and board fee of around $100, depending on the room layout and location. Meanwhile, the Preparatory Department tuition only differed by $50 less in tuition (Catalog 17).

The catalog contains a packing list for students of necessities and also the dress code for the college. The packing list demonstrated the need for “black shoes, table set, bath towels, nightgowns, one rug about three feet long, one white cotton bobbinet veil two yards long edged, and underclothing, strongly made” (Catalog 21). The dress code was simple: school dresses that were uniform style were permitted to ensure simplicity, good taste, and neatness around campus. On weekdays they were asked to wear navy blue and black on Sundays (Catalog 21). While Saint Mary’s does not emphasize the same values, majors, and dress standards today, these elements contributed to making Saint Mary’s the institution it is today.