HMS Flagpole

This 60s Tom Root photo is one of the few showing the Howe Military School flagpole at its full length, from the Civil War cannon at its base to Old Glory waving in a strong southern breeze at its top. The oldest campus panorama we have shows the flagpole in 1907, it was still there in 2024, the cannon was moved to the Howe village park after the School closed in 2019. Every day during the School year, the Corps of Cadets lined up along Alumni Drive just before First Mess (breakfast) and Third Mess (supper) and rendered the hand salute while the bugler played To The Colors as the flag was raised or lowered. Seven days a week for more than 112 years, more than 4000 cadets, is a lot of patriotism. Howe taught it well.

Dave Case ’76 recalls:

I’m proud to say I played a small part in that legacy as I was the bugler for 4 years playing Retreat and To The Colors. But for me the story started in 1969.

My Mom and Dad drove to Tom Root’s family’s home in Plymouth, Ohio, when I was in 5th grade. They were trying to decide if Howe would be a good fit for me. I met Tom who went on to be a mentor. He encouraged me to get involved with the speech and debate team, and work on the radio station, WHWE. So much history… so many memories.

During one lesson in Mr. Poljak’s geometry class, we were studying trigonometry using the flagpole as a tool to utilize math to solve how tall it was. I only wish I could remember if it was 50′ or 75′ tall.

I must have walked to that flagpole hundreds of times to play between 1972-1976. Seems like yesterday. Do you remember hearing me play? Doesn’t matter though. Just having that memory makes me smile.