It is recorded that on March 1, 1886, Howe School, District #12 was formed.  This one room school house was built by David William Howe and was located on the land holdings of David William and Safronia Elizabeth Howe.  Trustees in 1886 and 1887 were D. W. Howe, J. R. Brown, and A. D. Irvin; in 1889, D. W. Howe, Tom Lilley, and R. E. Harris; and in 1891, John Brown, A. D. Irvin, and Emmet Harris.  It is not known exactly how long Howe School operated.

On February 27, 1907, it was ordered by the court that the Trustees of School District #12 be authorized to sell the old school house in said district to the best advantage and to apply the proceeds of same to the available school fund of said District #12.  In 1911 Howe was still being shown as District #12, but on April 13,1915, Common School District #12 was redefined.  W.T. Webb was a teacher in 1912 - 1913.  It is felt that with the 1915 redefining, Howe was closed and a new school was started called Independence School, which was given the District #12 designation.