The recent discovery of the history of the bell on top of Withers Hall by graduate student Matt Robbins represents an opportunity for the University to complete a project started almost 90 years ago. The Bell Tower is a defining landmark on campus and has a rich history dating back to its commissioning in 1920 as a memorial for alumni killed in World War I.
The tower has never been equipped with a bell in all that time and now is our chance to complete the building.
The bell itself has deep ties to the city of Raleigh, and documents show it once hung in the historic Metropolitan Hall, a center for civic activities, before the hall was torn down in 1914. Installing this historic bell in our Bell Tower would not only complete the University’s original intentions in designing the structure, it would cement N.C. State’s connection to the state capital.
The Bell Tower has been approved for renovations at the end of this semester and $1.5 million has been allotted toward this endeavor. According to estimates by Robbins, it would cost $15,000 to $20,000 to move the bell from Withers Hall to the Bell Tower — a fraction of the overall budget.
The Student Senate has already expressed its support for the initiative to move the bell, and other campus leaders — the Faculty and Staff Senates — should quickly follow suit. The bell is in wonderful condition and would give the Bell Tower a sense of authenticity, as it would be visible to those visiting the monument.
The Bell Tower has an intricate system of carillon bells housed in Holladay Hall. Sound is piped into the tower through a speaker system. The new bell would not replace the carillon system, as it is one of the largest in the nation. Instead, it would be used to make the single-toned chime to indicate the hour of the day after the carillon bells are rung.
If our University wants to be a place that thrives on tradition, we cannot let this opportunity slip by. We have uncovered an amazing piece of history associated with this bell and there is no better way to respect the significance of this remarkable artifact than to let it ring out from the Bell Tower like our forefathers intended.
