History

In 1916, to their good fortune, the Xaverian Brothers purchased over one hundred acres along Breton Bay from Mr. Enoch Abell. In the beginning the land was utilized as a camp for boys known as Camp Calvert. Young men flocked from the cities to spend a few weeks of their summer vacations at Camp Calvert. But the Brothers' vision for this property was to eventually build a school and novitiate for boys. Their dream became reality in 1956 with the opening of Ryken High School. The school, named after Theodore James Ryken, founder of the Xaverian order, served as a juniorate for those with vocations to the Xaverian Brothers as well as a high school for young men in Southern Maryland. Brother Lambert Bents, CFX, founding principal, led his fellow Brothers in developing and perpetuating the spiritually strong foundation still evident at St. Mary's Ryken today.

Classes were first held in what is now Paschal Hall in the front campus. With ever rising enrollment the Brothers renovated two novitiate buildings on the grounds to accommodate more students; first Rupert Hall in 1970 and then Xavier Hall in 1973.

Ryken High School continued its respective educational mission until 1981, when St. Mary's Ryken High School became heir to the rich traditions of both parent institutions. Since their inceptions, St. Mary's Academy, Ryken High School, and St. Mary's Ryken have proudly graduated over 7,200 students (more than 2,700 from St. Mary's Ryken).