Due to decree of the government in Memel a Navigation School was opened on 15th 1st 1829. After various provisional solutions the stately building was erected in 1857/58 close to the lagoon and at the Walgum by master-builder Wossing on governmental territory. Ship's captain David Kuhn was the principal who gave lessons in navigation as well as in English. Ballast inspector Müller gave drawing lessons here. The number of pupils increased from 25 (1832) up to 69 (1840) since there was a permanent need for captains and helmsmen at the Memeler shipping companies. Primarily seamen but also helmsmen who wanted to obtain the captain patent were among the pupils. There were two examinations: one for seamen, the other one for helmsmen. For a time there was even the Navigationsvorbereitungsschule (navigation preparation school) in the same house which was attended almost exclusively by Vitten's youths.