Steve Howland, former principal at Brentwood's East Junior High School, dies at 88

For most people, being wounded by a gunman while trying to protect others would be the defining moment of one’s life. But Steve Howland, formerly of Sayville, had much more in life to define him.

"He loved golf, he loved all kinds of sports. He was a fantastic gardener. He was also an excellent cook, as close to being a chef as you could get," enthused his friend of 20 years, Randy Hanson, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

"He was an avid boater," added his son Brad Howland, of Sayville. "He loved taking us on cruises along the northeast coast. And he had exceptional fishing skills."

And exceptional management and people skills as well, rising from physical education teacher at Brentwood High School to becoming principal of Brentwood’s East Junior High School, now East Middle School.

“[He] stands at the front entrance each day to greet students and staff," wrote French and Spanish teacher Irvina Siegel Lew in a Newsday guest column in 1983. "To some, he’s the adored father substitute. To others, he is the perfect role model. To still others, he is the man around whom the school world revolves. He's the tough guy when warranted, the coach who pulls his team through difficult seasons, the problem solver with an open door."

"Yeah, that was him," said his son, reflecting on those words days after his father’s death at home in New Smyrna Beach, age 88, on New Year’s Day after suffering from metastasized skin cancer. "He had a big impact," continued his son. "I remember that when that [shooting] incident happened, he got a lot of letters from kids about the impact he had on their lives and the fact he was a different kind of principal."

The incident. On Monday, May 16, 1983, 24-year-old fired teacher’s aide Robert Wickes returned to East Junior High bearing a .22 caliber rifle. He commandeered classroom 201, pushing the teacher out of the room and confronting a 15-year-old with whom he had had a fistfight 13 days earlier.

Principal Howland and Vice Principal Frank Carnese rushed to the scene. Carnese would play a major role negotiating for the gradual release of virtually all 18 student hostages. And Howland found himself under fire — shot through the classroom door’s window, the bullet skimming his cheek and glass shards spraying his face, including one eye.

"He had eye trouble the rest of his life," his son said. "And if he let his beard grow, he had a streak across his cheek that would not grow hair, where the bullet had grazed it."

The gunman additionally shot the student with whom he had fought, but allowed the boy to be taken to a hospital, where the youth survived. Howland, treated at the same hospital, returned to the school.

Nine hours after the standoff began, the gunman fatally shot himself.

The school, which was closed the following day, reopened the day after with a cadre of 20 professional counselors — and Howland greeting his students, as always.

Paul Stephen Howland was born April 24, 1936, in Astoria, Queens, the middle of three sons of Abraham Perry Howland, an executive with the Sunshine Biscuit Co., maker of Hydrox cookies, and Nora O'Donnell Howland. The family later moved to Levittown, where Steve, as he was known, competed on the football, basketball and baseball teams at Levittown Memorial High School, now the BOCES school GC Tech.

After graduating in 1954, he went on to a physical education degree at SUNY Cortland. There he met fellow physical education major Marilyn Burr, whom he married in 1957. After initially living in Oakdale, the couple moved to Sayville and raised three sons.

Retiring in 1991, Howland and his wife relocated first to Stuart, Florida, and then New Smyrna Beach, where they and friends golfed together multiple times a week. Howland shot a hole-in-one on four occasions, his son said.

In addition to his wife and their son Brad, Howland is survived by sons Brian Howland, of Hardeeville, South Carolina, and Brett Howland, of Fort Pierce, Florida; a brother, David Howland, of Medford; and two grandchildren.

Following a private family ceremony, a public memorial was held Jan. 5, at the country club to which he belonged, Sugar Mill. Howland was cremated. Brad Howland said he plans to hold a memorial on Long Island in the future.