History of West Haven, Connecticut (1940)
PDF page 187
Source: https://archive.org/download/historyofwesthav00unse/historyofwesthav00unse.pdf#page=187

EDUCATION 
Edgar C. Stiles School 
Forest Street School 
25 
First Avenue School 
840 
Thompson School 
165 
St. Lawrence School 
High School 
West Main Street 
Forest Street at Orange Avenue 
First Avenue at Dana Street 
Richards Street—east of Campbell Avenue 
Main Street at Union Avenue (Parochial) 
Main Street—east of Washington Avenue 
Parochial School Established 
Through the efforts of Father Jeremiah Curtin, a 12-room grade school, 
at Main Street near Union Avenue, was erected in 1917 by St. Eawrence’s 
Roman Catholic Parish. This building, an eight-grade school, has a seating 
capacity of 420 pupils. The Reverend Arthur C. Cavanaugh is now (1938) 
principal of the school. 
Private Schools 
The Seaside Male Seminary, a preparatory school, operated from 1859 to 
1878. It was organized by R. Quincy Brown and taken over, in 1866, by Luther 
H. Northrup. Under the latter’s guidance, many foreign pupils were enrolled 
from Cuba, Chile, Peru, and China, and the seminary established a reputation 
for the instruction of Orientals. 
Among the Chinese students prepared for Yale at this school was Tatotai Jeme 
Tienyow, later famous as the engineer of the Peking Hsiang Railroad, the 
first railroad to be built entirely by Chinese. Other Chinese graduates include Lo 
Kocksui, who became an engineer with the Ning Hsiang Railroad in Huan, and 
Owyong King, who, in 1903, was Chinese Vice-Consul in San Francisco. 
A rare catalog of the seminary states that “Students disciplined here are 
admirably qualified for Farm, Work Shop, Sales Room, Counting House, Ship¬ 
ping Office or the more classical institutions”. 
The seminary was disbanded in 1878 and the building was used as a board¬ 
ing house for summer visitors at the shore. It was torn down in 1923. 
The Commercial and Classical Boarding and Day School for boys, at 415 
Savin Avenue, was conducted by W. F. Thomas from about 1855 until the late 
1870’s, when the Thomas family moved from West Haven to Ohio. 
According to legend, Mr. Thomas always carried a carpet bag for his books, 
papers, and various articles, and was known as “Carpet Bag Thomas”. He was 
assisted by his wife in conducting the school. 
Among well-known West Haveners who attended the school were the late 
E. E. Bradley, Cyrus Tuttle, and Dennis A. Kimberly, who was burgess of the 
Borough of West Haven from 1888 to 1891. 
The Phelps Nursery School, in the Phelps Homestead at Campbell Avenue 
and Elm Street, has been conducted since 1934 by Miss Marjorie Phelps. Pupils 
ranging in age from two-and-one-half to four-and-one-half years, are taught in¬ 
structive games, co-operation, and work that prepares them for entrance to kin¬ 
dergarten. 'Fhe school is open from September to June. 
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