Native American Legacy

Native American Legacy in Denver Public Schools

All schools in DPS rest on the ancestral homelands of the Cheyanne, Arapahoe and Ute Nations, and the community acknowledges this with respect. But one school holds a special honor, it is named after the first Native American principal in our district.

In 2006, a new ECE-8th grade school opened its doors in Northeast Denver. The school’s namesake, 30-year DPS educator and principal, Farrell B. Howell (Tee-da-dee-kucks – War Cry), was no stranger to education.

• The son of two educators, Howell was born in 1941 and grew up in the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma where his mother and father taught at the boy’s dormitory school on the reservation.
• His father, Stacy Howell, (Ca-he-kee – Leader) was a full blood chief of the Pumpkin Vine Clan, in the Skidi band of Pawnee.
• Howell and his siblings grew up among family on the reservation, including his Great Aunt Mary, who originally arrived in Oklahoma after she was forced to leave her homelands in Nebraska on the Pawnee Trail of Tears in the mid 1800s.
• Farrell B. Howell decided to follow in his family’s footsteps by pursuing a career in education.
• Howell graduated from Colorado College in Colorado Springs and moved on to secure a teaching position at DPS.
• Howell went on to become the first Native American principal in DPS at Grant Middle School. 
• As a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, he worked with the Pawnee tribal government to reduce the blood quantum from one-quarter to one-eighth, so more individuals, like his grandchildren, could become registered members of the Pawnee tribe

What he loved most about teaching, his wife Beverly reflected, were the kids. “It was all about the kids. He was a principal during the school year and taught swim lessons to little kids during the summer.”

“I think what was most important to my father was to see that kids of color had a chance to succeed. We live in a society where Whites have the advantage, and the best in-road for a person of color is education,” his daughter, Sara Howell (Tsu Piluzu – Short Woman).

“After Farrell retired from DPS, he was involved in the Denver Indian Center. He was a board member and spent time and energy to ensure the center had resources to provide services to our Native community. Because of his dedication to the community, the gym was named the Farrell Howell Gym,” said Denver Indian Center Board Chair, Rose McGuire.

“He was a successful Indian, and education gave him that success,” said Sara. 

“Plus…he had a terrific sense of humor,” Beverly added, her voice lifting. “He would’ve gotten a real charge out of all of this.”