and beyond
Milford Academy
Samuel Barnell Rosenbaum (Dec. 28, 1885 - October 27, 1945) was born in Russia, the son of Solomon and Rebecca Rosenbaum. His brother, Harris Rosenbaum (Dec. 28, 1886 [???] - March 14, 1981), too, was born in Russia. They came to America with their family in 1895. They settled in New Haven where other relatives had come a few years earlier.
When the family arrived, authorities for unknown reasons gave them 4 last names – Cugell, Rosenbaum, Rostow, and Levinson. Like so many immigrant families, they remained intensely close. After matriculating at New Haven High School, Sam graduated from the Yale Sheffield Scientific School as a civil engineer, in 1907. Brother Harris followed in 1908 in the same field.
As Yale undergrads, Sam and Harris Rosenbaum found their niche in life. In order to defer school expenses and keep the home front afloat, Sam and Harris filled a much needed educational gap by tutoring some of the star athletes on campus who tended not to be scholastic geniuses. Gradually, their reputation grew so that the engineers traded their slide rules for the more lucrative business of teaching.
In 1908, they opened the Rosenbaum Tutoring School at 84 Wall St, then next door at 88 Wall St, and finally, in 1920, at a permanent location at 262 York Street, all in New Haven. By 1913, the brothers added a preparatory department, which grew so rapidly that by 1916 it required all of their time.
In 1916, they established the “Rosenbaum School” on the old William S. Pond estate on Gulf Street near New Haven Avenue in Milford. The name was officially changed to “Milford School” by 1920. It was founded as a preparatory academy while the New Haven institution continued as primarily a tutoring school. Milford provided
the income to continue operating Rosenbaum School in New Haven. Harris stayed mostly at Milford. They shared clerical staff working out of Milford. Teaching staff had classes back-to-back on both campuses so were constantly on the move.
After a while, the terms Rosenbaum and Yale became synonymous. Time magazine (12/14/1936) referred to Sam and Harris Rosenbaum as “Yale’s leading tutors,” though independent. Yet there was an unspoken partner-ship. Yale professors sent their students to the Rosenbaums to reduce the need to see students after hours. Yale professors had a tutorial service, and the Rosenbaums had careers.
After a career long stint as director of the Milford School, Sam retired in 1942 and passed away in 1945. Harris took full reign and consolidated everything in Milford.
By then, it was officially called the Milford Preparatory School for Boys. The New Haven tutoring school, still at 262 York St., became known as the Broadway Tutoring School operated by Joseph S. Alderman and cousin Sidney Ross, both of whom also taught at Milford. Other family members, such as Joseph Rosenbaum, a math whiz, contributed their expertise to the Broadway School which lasted only into the 1960’s.
“Milford Prep” seemed to roll along. Harris ran the school by himself and became more of an administrator until 1964 when the the Rosenbaum family reorganized the school from proprietary into a nonprofit. At that time the name of the school was changed to “Milford Academy.” In a letter to Headmaster Robert S. Eccles, Harris Rosenbaum announced his retirement from teaching on November 4, 1964. He stayed on in an advisory capacity. Harris’ son, David S. “Bud Rosenbaum” (April 28, 1918 - April 22, 2008), son of Harris and Anne (Cugell) Rosenbaum, continued to work at the school throughout his life. Bud was active in the community serving in Milford Rotary from 1950 to the end of his days and as president in 1962.
The Rosenbaums built a legacy that would be known to generations that followed. Some of the more famous students include: Vincent Price, Efram Zimbalist Jr., famous hollywood actors, and California Senator George Murphy, Pillsbury Mills Executive Phillip Pillsbury, Henry Ringling North, and former U.N. Ambassador
to Norway Phillip Kingsland Crowe are famous graduates. Student athletes from around the country remember it either through attendance at the Prep or by playing against its teams.
In 1999, the city paid $2.8 million for 10 acres at the school, including a natatorium and athletic fields. Unfortunately this did not solve all of the debt issues and many of the buildings were in a terrible state of repair. The School closed in 2002 but did not die. Milford Prep settled its debts and sold its remaining 20 acres of grounds and facilities to the City of Milford for $2.5 million, initially as a purchase and lease back but that ultimately an outright sale. The site continues to serve the educational community. “The Academy,” a portion of the site, is a public school under the Board of Education.
The Milford Academy reopened in 2004 in New Berlin, NY, about 15 miles west of Cooperstown. Former Alderman James Coffee was intimately involved and made the move from Milford with the school. Residents of New Berlin, N.Y., approved a referendum allowing Milford Academy to purchase the 55,000-square-foot former Unadilla Valley High School building for $100,000. Its targeted mission continues to be the needs of high school senior and post-graduate student athletes needing educational guidance and athletic training.
The majority of its students today represent minority working class families who are economically unable to meet the monetary requirements of a college education. Over a recent three year period, Milford Academy sent approximately 98% of its students on to colleges. Most notably, more than two thirds (2/3) of these graduates received four-year scholarships.
nominees
Out of scores of citizens from Milford suggested, only a few each year nominated for a vote to be inducted into the Hall of Fame make the final 5 to be honored. Those not selected so far may have been competing that year against stronger candidates or as part of a larger story.
- Soloman Baldwin - discovered in 1811 a vein of green serpentine marble extending to East Haven. The Milford Marble quarry’s stone cutting mill was the former Plumb grist mill on the East River now known as Rose’s Mill.
- Captain Bartemy - ship master that refused to pay a drawbridge toll that had replaced the ferries and opened fire on it
- Claude Coffin - Indian artifact archeologist. The original Coffin collection included bones and burial pots which were returned to the tribes by the Milford Historical Society. Paugussett Chief Big Eagle wrote in his book “Quarter Acre Of Heartache” that Native Americans view archeologists as grave robbers. Another local archaeologist that is not as well known was Edward H. Rogers due to his artifacts being split between private collections.
- Margaret Egan - long serving City Hall clerk that was cross endorsed by both established political parties
- Doris Gagnon - fought eminent domain before her home was demolished for a state park that did not open until decades later. Although she became an annoyance to public officials was popular with the public
- Police Chief Arthur Harris - instituted the Cop in the Bucket around 1951 to direct downtown traffic until January 1973 - well loved landmark
- Thomas Hine - saved a Mohawk Indian left tied up in a swamp and earned respect from the tribe. His brother opened The Tory Brook Inn Restaurant.
- Roger Ludlow and Moses Wheeler - operated a ferry between Milford and Stratford in 1649 with docks in both towns before becoming better known in Fairfield county. (Naugatuck Avenue originally was named Ferry Woods Road after the ferry) Peter Hepburn was the first Milford ferryman at the Oronoque crossing which opened a few years later in 1659.
- Alan R Pearlman - Developed the ARP synthesizer which was featured in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
- Wayne Pierce, Hunt and Dave Ramsey - businesses TEY Manufacturing and Hunt Pierce held the 1st snow making patent, made quick release ski bindings and aerial lift trucks.
- Harry Perry - invented the Original Hot Lobster Roll in 1927 at his Bridgeport Avenue Perry's Restaurant which closed in 1977.
- Nate Wadsworth with Bob Findley - built the 1st advertised computer, the SCELBI (SCientific, ELectronic, BIological), in 1974 from a shop across from the CT Post
- Henry Tomlinson - opened Milford’s first tavern serving "unappetizing meals", Washington and Burr stayed there while operated by later proprietors. Tomlinson descendants include Governor Gideon Tomlinson, Charles Tomlinson who was a delegate to the 1888 Democratic convention and Dr. Joseph Tomlinson - physician, procured aid for erection of Saint George’s Church (later replaced by Saint Peter’s)
- Micah Tompkins - hid The Regicide judges, Whalley and Goffee in Milford after being sheltered by the Reverend John Davenport in New Haven
Milford citizens
As the final Milford Hall of Fame celebration, at least for a while, it is right and just to call out the thousands of unsung heroes, the people who contributed to this ancient community every day.
Milford Rotary Celebrates its 100th anniversary February. It was the first service club in Milford, joined by a second Rotary, Devon, Kiwanis, derived from an Indian term for share or trade, The Lions, famous for its Eye Bank, and fraternal organizations like the Shriners with its world famous burn centers, Knights of Columbus, Plymouth club, Elks and numerous veteran’s organizations. Milford’s volunteerism and special interest clubs and organizations run from youth and adult sports in baseball, hockey, basketball, running, bicycling, cooking, gardening to sewing and crocheting. Car, motorcycle, boating, sailing, farming clubs, 4H, Boys and Girl Scouting and Club, the YMCA, Education, literacy and health purpose many organizations and professional and business associations are numerous. Dozens of United Way partners and others that were part of or coordinated with the City of Milford’s Recreation and public services like the many youth programs and senior Center, and Bethel Shelter serve the City.
The Milford Club is Milford’s oldest continuously serving club founded July 1, 1847, second only to a Boston club in the whole United States. Distinctive not for service but for drink and camaraderie, its walls still bear records of local heroic and compassionate acts over its 180+ years. There are Heritage communities for Irish, Poles, Italians, B’Nai Brith, Men and Women and others. Outreach and service groups from our many churches are active in the community. The Oyster Festival committees have brightened Milford summers for 50 years. Red Cross volunteers saved lives though many emergencies. These groups and many more, as well as Individuals who step up to serve and unpaid political officers made Milford great. This, the last plaque in the Hall of Fame, is dedicated to the People of Milford.
