The first year the students were called together by the melodious tones of a cowbell. After the first year, the ladies of the Campion Church bought a large bell for the Academy Building. On October 8, 1919, the whole campus was awakened to the loud cries of fire, fire, fire.
“As the fire was making such rapid progress there was no time to be lost. The fire extinguishers seemed only to anger the flames which were making large upward sweeps to the top of the belfry. While some were working to put out the fire others were busy, yes exceedingly busy, carrying the most valuable articles from the chapel and from the cellar below, in which was stored all the canned goods for the kitchen.
The fire made rapid progress. The front of the building and the belfry were in ashes, and the large steel bell was lying in the midst of them. The main part of the building was beginning to weaken and windows were falling out one by one. Looking on top of the dormitories we saw several boys pouring water on the roof to lessen the danger of these buildings catching fire as the sparks were flying thick and fast
When Hankins Hall was built, the bell was placed on the roof just north of the flag poll. The rope came down into the building just inside the north entrance, or boy’s entrance. It was between the entrance and the door into the principal’s office. It was rung to single the beginning and ending of class, chapel, church, etc. It could be heard all over campus, even as far away as ¼ mile. Some years later the original bell was damaged and the current bell was purchased.
In the mid 1950’s the bell was replaced with an electronic bell system and the bell was moved to the roof of the gym.
It was here that the tradition begain where the classes would steal the bell.
Mary Hedger '60 |
