This coeducational high school and college opened in 1871 as a collaborative effort of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches.
Although it attracted 150 students, the opening debts of the school and the withdrawal of the Presbyterian church from the effort resulted in bankruptcy.
In the 1860s, the Erie Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church decided to create a seminary in North East, Pennsylvania because the community lacked a public high school.
[5][6] The seminary's board secured contributions and acquired a property north of town that was previously owned by the Hall family.
[9][10] Because of this large cost, the Erie Conference collaborated with the Presbyterian Church to create and run the seminary.
[11] Lake Shore Seminary opened in August 1871 as a coeducational preparatory school and college.
[9][14][12] They established a preparatory school for Catholic priests called St. Mary's College that opened on August 2, 1881.
[20][14] The brick building was in the Second Empire style and had four stories, that included classrooms, a dining room, a chapel that could seat 400 people, and dormitories for 100 students.
[14][12] The seminary taught ancient and modern language, drawing, English, mathematics, metaphysics, music, painting, and teaching.