school's name is derived from the shortening and altering of "Mary's Villa" when the school opened as an all women-school in the country outside of the order's original downtown St. Louis location in 1872 (an area that today is within the boundaries of the city of St. Louis). In 1961 it moved to suburban St. Louis and in 1968 began admitting men.
Since 1972 the university has been governed by a board of trustees consisting mostly of members of the laity, although five of the trustees are always associated with the Society of the Sacred Heart. The school's athletic nickname is now the Saints.
== History ==
Maryville was founded in 1872 by the Society of the Sacred Heart and was originally called Maryville Academy of the Sacred Heart and served underprivileged youth and young women.
It was located in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood in South St. Louis on a 21-acre (8.5 ha) tract at 2900 Meramec Avenue. The main administration building was a five-story building with a cupola in the middle.
The school became a …
