Howard ES History
Opened: 1949
Closed: 1999
Howard Elementary School was located on Howard Air Force Base on the West Bank of the Panama Canal near Panama City. It was a three-story, air-conditioned concrete building. The facility was built in 1949 as a high school but was never used in that capacity.
When the school became a part of DoDDS in 1979, 457 students were enrolled. The student population declined each year until 1982, when it began to increase for the following four years. In 1981-82 there were approximately 350 students at the school. Kindergarten and first grade had three classes, and the other grade levels had two sections. The principal was Ms. Theresa Arrington.
In 1986, the downward trend began again. Approximately 255 students attended the kindergarten through grade six school for the 1989-90 school year. Most of the students were dependents of Air Force enlisted personnel, Navy and Marine dependents, and civilian dependents. The tour length for the military personnel was normally three years.
The staff under DoDDS consisted of teachers hired from the Continental United States (CONUS), military dependents, and DoDDS transferees. Many staff remained for only two years.
Source: Schooling in the Panama Canal Zone 1904-1976, DoDDS Panama 1979-1989, and DoDDS School Information Guides