[2] The school's formation was largely the result of a bequest of John Badlam Howe, who died in 1883.

[citation needed] St. James Memorial Chapel is on the National Register of Historic Places.

[3] In June 2020, the school property and its buildings were sold for US$3 million to Olivet, a New York-based religious organization.

Preferring to stay independent, Howe competed regionally against parochial, private and public schools.

Howe fielded men's football, tennis, soccer, basketball, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse, drill, and track.