You might’ve driven past it. If you’ve ever found yourself in the northeast corner of the state, near the Michigan border, those red-brick buildings probably caught your eye. They look like something out of a movie—classic, stern, and steeped in a kind of history that feels increasingly rare in the 21st century. But today, the campus of Howe Military Academy Indiana feels different. There’s a quietness that shouldn't be there. No drills. No sharp commands echoing across the parade grounds.
It’s honestly a bit jarring.
For over a century, Howe was a fixture of the Midwest. It wasn't just a school; it was a machine for turning boys (and eventually girls) into disciplined leaders. Then, in 2019, the gears stopped turning. People were shocked, but if you look closely at the numbers and the shifting culture of American education, the writing had been on the wall for a while.
Why Howe Military Academy Indiana Finally Closed Its Doors
Money talks. Or, in this case, the lack of it shouted.
The decision to close in June 2019 wasn't some sudden, impulsive move by the board of trustees. It was the result of a long, painful decline in enrollment. Think about it: at its peak, Howe had hundreds of cadets. By the time the final graduation ceremony rolled around, that number had plummeted to roughly 50 students. You can’t keep a sprawling, historic campus running on the tuition of 50 kids. It’s basic math, and the math was brutal.
The world changed, basically.
Private military boarding schools are a tough sell these days. Back in the early 1900s, parents saw military discipline as the gold standard for character building. Today? Parents are often looking for specialized STEM programs, arts-focused curriculum, or less rigid environments. Howe tried to pivot. They went co-ed in 1988. They marketed their small class sizes and leadership training. But the "military" brand, which was once their biggest strength, became a niche interest.
It’s also worth noting the massive overhead of maintaining those aging brick buildings. Historic charm is great until the boiler dies or the roof starts leaking over a dormitory. The cost of deferred maintenance across the Howe campus was reportedly in the millions. When you combine dwindling tuition revenue with skyrocketing facility costs, you're left with a deficit that even the most dedicated alumni base can't fill.
The Episcopal Roots and the "Howe Way"
John Badlam Howe was the man with the vision. In 1884, he left a bequest in his will to establish a school under the auspices of the Episcopal Church. It didn't actually start as a military school, though. That came a few years later, in 1895, when the military structure was adopted to provide the kind of "manly" discipline that was popular in the Victorian era.
🔗 Read more: Finding Another Word for Calamity: Why Precision Matters When Everything Goes Wrong
Religion remained the backbone.
Cadets weren't just marching; they were attending chapel. The school’s motto, "Fides et Honor" (Faith and Honor), wasn't just some dusty Latin phrase on a crest. It was the blueprint for daily life. You woke up early. You polished your brass until you could see your reflection. You studied hard. Then you went to church.
One of the most unique aspects of the Howe Military Academy Indiana experience was the "Old Boy" system. It wasn't about hazing—at least not officially—it was about mentorship. Senior cadets were responsible for the development of the juniors. If a new kid couldn't fold his shirts right or was struggling with algebra, it was the upperclassman's job to fix it. It created a bond that lasted decades. Honestly, if you talk to any Howe alum today, they don't talk about the classes. They talk about their "brothers" or "sisters" in the barracks.
A Campus Frozen in Time
The architecture alone tells the story. Blake Hall, the St. James Chapel—these aren't just buildings. They are landmarks. The chapel, specifically, is a Gothic Revival masterpiece. It features stained glass that would look right at home in a European cathedral.
When the school closed, there was a legitimate fear that these sites would be leveled. Luckily, that hasn't happened. The campus was eventually purchased by a group that saw value in the infrastructure, though its use has shifted away from the traditional military model. Currently, the site has seen interest from various groups, including those looking to establish a different kind of boarding school or a community center.
Life as a Cadet: It Wasn't Like the Movies
Most people hear "military school" and think of Taps or some harsh reformatory for "bad kids."
Howe fought that stereotype for a century.
Sure, some parents sent their kids there because they were acting out, but the majority of cadets were there for the structure. A typical day was a blur of activity.
💡 You might also like: False eyelashes before and after: Why your DIY sets never look like the professional photos
- Reveille at 0600.
- Morning formation and breakfast.
- Classes (very small, usually 8-12 students).
- Athletics or drill practice in the afternoon.
- Study hall (mandatory and silent).
- Taps at 2200.
There was zero "down time" in the way modern teenagers understand it. You didn't spend four hours scrolling on a phone. You were busy. You were moving. For a lot of kids, that was exactly what they needed. It forced them to manage their time. You've probably heard the term "executive function"—well, Howe was basically a lab for developing that.
The uniforms were a point of pride. The "Full Dress" blues, with the high collars and white cross-belts, were iconic. Wearing them was a privilege you had to earn. If your grades slipped or your room was messy, you lost "furlough" (weekend passes). The stakes were immediate and clear. In a world of participation trophies, Howe was a place where you actually had to perform to get ahead.
The Impact on LaGrange County
You can’t talk about Howe without talking about the town of Howe, Indiana. The school was the heart of the community. When the cadets would march in local parades, the whole town came out. The school provided jobs—cooks, janitors, teachers, administrators.
When it folded, it left a hole.
LaGrange County is largely rural and known for its significant Amish population. The academy was this strange, polished, military island in the middle of farmland. It brought international flavor to a small town. Students came from Mexico, China, and all over the U.S. to attend. Suddenly, that international bridge was gone. The local economy felt the hit, and for a few years, the uncertainty of what would happen to the property hung over the town like a cloud.
Is the Military Boarding School Model Dead?
Not exactly, but it's on life support.
Howe wasn't the only one to struggle. Schools like St. John’s Military Academy in Wisconsin have also faced massive hurdles. The ones that survive usually have massive endowments or a very specific niche, like Culver Academies (also in Indiana), which benefits from its famous horsemanship program and a much larger student body.
The reality is that Howe Military Academy Indiana represented a specific era of American life. It was an era that valued conformity, ritual, and institutional loyalty above individual expression. As our culture shifted toward the individual, institutions like Howe began to feel like relics.
📖 Related: Exactly What Month is Ramadan 2025 and Why the Dates Shift
That doesn’t mean the "Howe Way" was wrong.
Actually, in a 2026 context, you could argue we need that kind of discipline more than ever. We're living in a world of constant distraction and fragmented attention. The idea of a place where you put away the phone, put on a uniform, and focus on being a part of something bigger than yourself? That’s actually a pretty radical, and perhaps necessary, concept.
What to Do if You’re a History Buff or an Alumnus
If you're looking to connect with the legacy of the school, you aren't alone. The Howe Alumni Association is still incredibly active. They've worked hard to preserve the archives and keep the "Old Boy" network alive through reunions and digital groups.
Check the Archives:
The LaGrange County Public Library and the Indiana Historical Society hold various records and photographs from the school’s long history. If you had family who attended, these are the best places to start a genealogical search.
Visit the Town:
While the campus is private property and you can't just wander through the barracks, you can still drive by and see the St. James Chapel from the road. The town of Howe itself still maintains that quiet, historic Indiana charm.
Support Preservation Efforts:
There are ongoing discussions about how to best preserve the historic buildings on the campus. Following local LaGrange County news is the best way to stay informed on whether the chapel will be opened for public tours or if the main halls will be repurposed for new educational ventures.
The story of Howe is a reminder that even the strongest institutions aren't permanent. It takes more than just tradition to keep a school alive; it takes a constant re-evaluation of how that tradition fits into the modern world. Howe gave it a good run—135 years is nothing to sneeze at. Its legacy lives on in the thousands of graduates who still stand a little bit straighter and check their watches a little more often because of what they learned in that small corner of Indiana.
To truly understand the impact, you have to look at the people, not the buildings. The buildings are just brick and mortar. The "Howe Way" is in the way those graduates lead their businesses, raise their families, and serve their communities today. That part of the academy didn't close in 2019. It just moved off-campus.
Next Steps for Researching Howe History
- Contact the Alumni Association: If you are a descendant of a cadet, reaching out to the official Howe Alumni Association is the quickest way to find yearbooks or specific class records.
- Visit the St. James Chapel: While the interior access is restricted, the exterior remains one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the Midwest.
- Explore Indiana Military History: To see how Howe fit into the larger landscape, visit the Indiana War Memorial Museum in Indianapolis, which occasionally features exhibits on the state's various military academies and their contributions to the world wars.