The Ellsworth property, which currently houses the Board of Education building in South Windsor, has history dating back almost 200 years and is rumored to be haunted by the famous ghost of ‘Screwy Louie’.
According to the legend, in the 1850’s, Louis Smith, also known as Screwy Louie, was considered to have been the outcast of his family. He was locked away in his attic, and, one day while trying to escape, he fell and died, beginning his legacy as a ghost.
The chilling story of Screwy Louie has intrigued South Windsor residents for decades. A few people even believe they have encountered Louie.
“I’ve been at Ellsworth for over 30 years, so there have been times that we have given credit to Screwy Louie when strange things have happened,” South Windsor resident and employee at Ellsworth Susan Forcellina stated. “For me, his spirit is most detected in the heating system at Ellsworth. He will often bang on the pipes very loudly to make his presence known. I will typically stop for a moment and take notice.”
Stories like these have deep roots, and the eerie energy inside Ellsworth may be tied to its layered past. The plot of land that Ellsworth is built upon had two buildings, a school and a church, which used to be the Theological Institute of Connecticut. Over time, those buildings have been used as a restaurant, boarding school, gas station and even a nightclub. However, the portico of the Board of Education building is still the same structure as the old church.
Many people have heard and seen unexplainable things in this building for many years. South Windsor resident Debi Kopper explains the story of her sixth grade history teacher Mr. Ford who was the expert of Screwy Louie. Kopper also explains some of her many encounters with the rambunctious ghost.
“When I was in the 6th grade at TEMS around 1987, our history teacher, Mr. Ford, told us the story of the ghost at Ellsworth School where he once taught,” Kopper said. “There was a student who was so crazy and violent that he was kept chained in the attic. Food was brought to Screwy Louie, but no one went near him. One day, in a fit he pulled his chains so hard that he broke loose and propelled himself through the attic window, falling to his death. From that time forward, the chains could be heard rattling when he visited.”
In 1992, a South Windsor yearbook entry explained how Mr. Ford, who taught in the South Windsor school system for 28 years and began his teaching career at Ellsworth School, “ would tell the students that Louie had followed [him] to Block Island. The students loved to hear of Screwy Louie.”
Commemorating Mr. Ford, the ’92 yearbook editorial staff continued “even today people say that if the sun shines right in the window, you can see the shadow of Screwy Louie”.
Ford unfortunately passed away on October 20, 1991, but he will always be remembered as a great teacher in South Windsor.
Other residents of South Windsor who have been in the building report more strange happenings.
“Doors would open and close unexpectedly; it would even freak some of the teachers out. There were shadows in the window of the attic like the top floor is where everyone would see something,” South Windsor resident Karen Pola said. “At a dance we lost power, and it was said to be Screwy Louie.”
The mystery of Screwy Louie is yet to be definitively solved, however, the stories of his presence uphold his legacy.
