To meet a growing need for continuation courses, St. John’s College inaugurated on 1 September 1947 its Department of Adult Education.
The first session was of three months duration. Classes, conveniently arranged for the benefit of working people, were held every night from seven to nine o’clock. The enrollment of students during the first session totaled eighty-two.
Four courses, each held twice weekly over a twelve-week period, were offered. These courses included the Art of Thinking, Effective Speaking, Capital and Labor, and Business Ethics. Instructors were Rev. Omer P. Sullivan, S.J. and the Rev. Edward J. O’Donnell, S.J.
The second session was begun on 16 February of 1948. Seventy-five students were registered for one or more of the five courses, which were Art of Thinking, Sociology, Psychology, Parliamentary Procedures, and English. The session lasted eight weeks. Instructors were the Rev. John M. Knopp, S.J., Rev. Marion M. Ganey, S.J., and Rev. Edward J.O’ Donnell, S.J.
On 31 July 1948, the Rev. Marion M. Ganey, S.J., was appointed Director of St. John's College Extension School. Since that time, courses in adult education have attracted more than five hundred men and women. Courses are offered in Consumer’s Co-operatives, Co-operative Housing, Credit Unions, Fundamental Economics, English and Community Recreation. Special Courses are also available in Physics, Chemistry, Bookkeeping, and Typewriting.
SJC Extension Department was located at the Melhado Building at the foot of the Belize Swing Bridge. In 1971, SJC moved to the corner of Hyde's Lane and New Road and in 1986 it bought the building at the corner of King and Regent Streets, the site of its present location.
In 1965 St. John’s College Extension Department began to issue high school equivalence certificate. These certificates are awarded on the basis of regular and successful class attendance and also on the series of test intended to measure the student’s general educational development.
In 2008 the Board of Trustees of St. John’s College approved the new GED Plus College Preparation Curriculum that for the first time integrated CSEC subjects and information technology into the formal curriculum and required students to complete four years of studies. Also, the high school equivalence certificate was upgraded to that of diploma in recognition of the new more rigorous curriculum requirements. And the Extension building was formally re-named Stochl Hall after Fr. John Stochl, SJ, who was founder of the modern day Extension program.
