Bell Stories
Alumni Association
Is this the bell first placed on top of Hankins Hall ?
Alumni Association
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.
The Class of 1962 provided funds and labor to create a beauty spot
which gave a home to the storied bell and tables for students to relax
on.