Spring Break
Chapel bell ready to ring in new school year
Rope, clapper ring anew
JULIA SEVY
Issue date: 8/18/08 Section: News
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The bell was re-installed Friday, in time for Bulldogs' first home game against Georgia Southern Aug. 30.
Last October, the bell's yoke broke after fans celebrated a victory against Florida by yanking on the rope for hours. The bell dropped down a few inches onto wooden boards, said Tom Satterly, assistant vice president for the physical plant.
Despite initial repairs, the Physical Plant hired Elkins Engineering to study the bell and tower. Given the bell's age and past use, Elkins reccommended a new tower "to ensure continued safe use of the tower in the future," Satterly said.
The 700-pound bronze bell sits atop the newly constructed bell tower at its longtime home behind the Chapel on North Campus.
Physical Plant workers - carpenters, steelworkers and designers - worked throughout the summer to rebuild the tower in its new design. The tower was moved to the Chapel to begin installation last week.
The new bell tower was built to modern engineering standards and is much safer than the previous tower, which was built in 1913, Satterly said.
The tower also features a new bronze clapper that Satterly said should make the bell's ring more like its original sound. The clapper, which hangs inside the bell and strikes the sides of the bell to create the ringing sound, replaced the old steel clapper. Because the bell itself is bronze, a bronze clapper improves the sound quality of the ring, Satterly said.
Wood from the old tower will be used for renovations of historical buildings throughout campus, he said. A new rope to pull the bell was also installed.
The new bell's ring was heard for the first time at a ceremony on Friday at 3 p.m.
Those involved in the bell's refurbishing and tower's construction pulled the rope together in honor of the completion.
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