The YMCA pioneered the concept of night school, providing educational opportunities for people with full-time employment.

At first classes occurred in the old Downtown YMCA building at 1600 Louisiana.

As part of this, classes moved to the Merchants and Manufacturers Building at One Main Street in 1967, when STJC ended its affiliation with the YMCA.

The YMCA and YWCA buildings provided dormitories for students.

At one time it was the largest private junior college in the United States, and in 1974, still ranked among the top ten.