St. Vincent's College (Los Angeles, Calif.)

In 1865, the Vincentians became directors of a seminary in Los Angeles at the request of Bishop Thaddeus Amat. The college was named St. Vincent's College and accepted both lay and seminary students. The cornerstone was laid in 1866 but educating seminarians eventually ceased and St. Vincent's curriculum focused on the education of lay students. The college continued until 1911 when a question of the college's survival became a paramount issue. Rev. Joseph Glass, president, reported that the Vincentians were questioning their mission and decided that several factors (dislike for college work and the "true nature of their mission") needed to be addressed. He recommended that the Jesuits take over the role of higher education in the Los Angeles area. This decision caused considerable criticism of Fr. Glass. A major area of concern was the financial situation and poor management of funds. In 1911, the Jesuits agreed to take over the college and it was renamed Loyola College in 1918. St. Vincent's College had very loyal alumni and this group continued to meet yearly and celebrate the memories of their days at St. Vincent's College.