Arichat played an important role in the education of young minds. "At Arichat under the leadership of Right Reverend Colin F. MacKinnon the first classes of Saint Francis Xavier University began on July 20th, 1853. By December of 1853, 12 students were reported to be in residence, with enrollment expected to increase. Students would study a variety of topics, including philosophy, theology and the classics. The majority of students were of Scottish ancestry, and it was noted that the local Acadians for the most part, had minimal enrollment, in part due to materials being covered in English and not in French, the predominant language of the island at the time.