Donald Ray Howard

Donald Ray Howard (November 27, 1933 – February 5, 2013) was an American educator and author. With his wife Esther, he co-founded Accelerated Christian Education, a fundamentalist Christian school model and curriculum.

Background Howard was born in Topeka, Kansas, to LaVerne Glenn Howard and Mildred Norrean (née Mellinger) Howard. He graduated from Topeka High School in 1951. He graduated from Washburn University, then served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Howard studied at Talbot Theological Seminary and earned his M.Th. and his Ph.D. (in 1968) from Bob Jones University. His dissertation was entitled “An Investigation of the Secular School Relative to the Needs of the Christian Community.”

Howard married Esther Hilte in 1956. They had five children: Melody, Harmony, Donald, Daniel, and Duane. He also founded the School of Reform. At A.C.E.’s peak in the 1980s, approximately 8,000 schools used the curriculum.

Howard opposed the U.S. public school system, denouncing it for teaching “humanism” instead of Christian Americanism.

Separation from A.C.E. As early as 1984, Howard was accused of engaging in extramarital affairs. At the time, fellow fundamentalist minister Jerry Falwell said, “For the sake of the cause of Christian education, Mr. Howard should divest himself of ACE, and get out of the business of teaching children.” Donald and Esther divorced in 1997, and Esther assumed control of A.C.E. in 1998.