The Student Senate Wednesday night signaled its support for a student-led proposal to move the bell on top of Withers Hall into the Bell Tower during the war memorial’s upcoming renovations.
Architecture graduate student Matt Robbins said he hopes to relocate the bell, originally housed in Raleigh’s city hall around the turn of the 20th century, by tweaking existing construction plans to revitalize the Bell Tower.
In his appeal to the Senate, Robbins explained that the original intent of the memorial was to house a bell in its belfry, along with an extensive carillon system.
He said although the carillon system was installed, it is actually located inside a small room in Holladay Hall and its sound is piped through speakers in the tower.
The bell however, was never installed.
“There really is no bell in the Bell Tower,” Robbins said.
But Robbins explained that the carillon system is significant in itself, as it’s one of the largest in North America. He said the carillon company could easily wire the bell to replace only the single-toned chime that rings the hour.
“The bell wouldn’t replace the carillon system, but would enhance a specific part,” Robbins said.
A supporting framework for the bell, along with a concrete slab floor suitable to support the object’s weight, were part of the original plans. But Robbins said construction crews only need to build the framework for the project to work.
“The concrete slab floor is already there, so this could happen,” Robbins said.
By subcontracting a crane from the construction of the math and statistics building, Robbins said construction crews could either haul the bell up through the shrine room or drop it through the Bell Tower roof, which he said is slated for a revamp anyway.
Between the cost to move the bell, wire it into the carillon system and construct the bell’s framework, Robbins estimated that the project could cost $15,000 to $20,000.
Robbins said moving the bell would not only honor the history of the bell and the Raleigh firefighters who used it, but would strengthen the Bell Tower as a symbol of the University.
“I kind of feel like it didn’t get a chance to live, to breathe,” Robbins said. “This would be the one sound the Bell Tower has been longing for its entire life.”
The Senate passed a resolution in support of the project by consent after fast-tracking the bill through the reading process.
The bill will now go before Student Body President Bobby Mills, who according to Robbins has already voiced his support.
Some senators did raise questions about the cost of the project and how it might impact students.
But others pointed to the budgeted cost of the Bell Tower renovations, which will total $1.5 million.
“In a $1.5 million budget, $20,000 is pennies in the well,” Former Student Body Treasurer Adam Compton, a signatory on the bill, said.
Sen. Jay Dawkins, one of the sponsors of the resolution, said he didn’t think the bell relocation project would become a burden on students.
“A project like this is something we can all take pride in,” Dawkins said. “I’m sure there are alumni that would be willing to support this.”
And Sen. Kenneth Webb, another one of the resolution’s sponsors, said the reason was clear.
“It’s a piece of history and it deserves to have some use,” Webb said.
Robbins said that although he was confident coming in that the Senate would support the bill, he said he was excited about the support and the possibility that senators would spread the information to the student body.
“We can’t just ignore history and I felt my fellow students would feel the same way,” Robbins said. “[The Senate’s support] will make it less mine and more theirs.”
