In 1876, the first American Provincial of the Xaverian Brothers, Brother Alexius, commissioned Brother Bernardine Ridders to find a location for the Brothers’ motherhouse and a school. Praying to Saint Joseph for help, Brother Bernardine found and obtained the present site of Mount Saint Joseph, a Baltimore County property known as the Seven Gates. 

Mount Saint Joseph was officially dedicated on Thanksgiving Day in 1876, and a few months later, on February 1, 1877, Douglas Walton became the school’s first student. From that humble beginning with one young man and a Brother’s dream, Mount Saint Joseph has grown into a vibrant community of thousands of alumni, students, families, and friends. 

Lay teacher John Plevyak joins a faculty of Brothers, beginning his long and legendary career at MSJ. As a coach, he won his first MSA Championship in 1944 in soccer and went on to win numerous titles in both soccer and baseball. He was appointed Athletic Director in 1962.

Plevyak also founded the youth summer program, Camp Saint Joseph, and served as its director from 1947 to 1972. He celebrated his 50th year at MSJ in 1991 and was named an Honorary Xaverian Brother by Brother Matthew Burke, C.F.X., the Xaverian Provincial. In 2008, Plevyak Field was dedicated in his honor.

The year 1962 brought a number of significant changes to Mount Saint Joseph. That spring, seniors graduated from the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen for the first time, following many years of commencement ceremonies at the Lyric Theatre. The Class of 1962 also sang a new alma mater, “Hail Mount Saint Joseph High,” composed by Brother Peter. And, among the graduates were the last of The Mount’s resident students. The M Building, which had housed the dormitories, was demolished, marking the end of an era as Mount Saint Joseph became exclusively a day school.

Mount Saint Joseph joined the newly founded Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association in the winter of 1995. That same season, the Gaels brought home the school’s first MIAA Conference Championship in varsity wrestling, following 19 consecutive wrestling championships in the former MSA league.

Established in honor of Brother James M. Kelly, C.F.X., who served as the school’s president from 2001-2011, the Kelly Scholars Program is a highly competitive, integrated program of study designed for the ambitious student who seeks to move more quickly into upper level honors and Advanced Placement coursework.

The Kelly Scholars Program became one of two signature programs at The Mount, joining the DePaul Program, which was established in 2001 for students with mild learning differences. The DePaul Program’s goal is to help each student recognize and nurture his strengths while improving his overall performance in the classroom.

As we celebrate our milestone 150-year anniversary, we do so with gratitude for those who built our foundation and confidence in the generations who will carry our mission Beyond 150.