Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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Attic belfry echoes heritage by Rita Shelley A student of the early part of the cen- tury would surely be lost on today ' s K- State campus. Who would have thought cornfields could sprout all those build- ings? What possible logic could have contributed to converting the Domestic Sciences Building into a home for the geology and geography departments? Many campus buildings house differ- ent facilities today than they were origi- nally built for. Anderson Hall, formerly the Main College Building , contained a chapel back in days gone by. It also had the early 1900 ' s answer to today ' s stu- dent union: a canteen. And may the male students of those days never forget an important concession offered by Ander- son the haircut. There is one feature of Anderson Hall that still exists in its near-original form the legendary old bell. Pigeon droppings notwithstanding, it is now used only to announce commencement exercises. Any visitor expecting a bell tower just like in the movies won ' t be disappointed by rickety stairs reaching to eerie heights and a view of too much distance between up here and down there . Flashes of headlines reading, Student Falls From Umpteenth Floor Window D oesn ' t Live To Tell Story come to mind. Several students of earlier days found their ways to the upper reaches of Ander- son from time to time. Their business, not necessarily official, was probably con- ducted at odd hours of the night. One prank, attributed to a group of sopho- mores, involved stealing the bell clapper. Perhaps they were sentenced to herding the sheep brought to Anderson lawn to control dandelions? What has been described as a chilling experience for the bell happened when wintertime pranksters turned the bell upside-down and filled it with water dur- ing the 1 870s. Rumor has it that custodi- ans had to light a fire under it to melt the ice. Another time, the bell failed to ring when rags were tied around the clapper, producing only silence during the early morning hours when it usually sounded. Not only a victim of intentional pranks, the bell suffered accidental damage in a 1968 fire attributed to faulty wiring. More trauma was experienced by the squirrels, though, than the tower itself, Vince Cool, of the planning department, said. During the late 50s and early 60s, it was a custodian ' s job to ring the bell, sig- naling the approach of 8 am and 1 pm classes. One such custodian, Mark Riat, described this aspect of his job to the Collegian several years ago. ' Every morning there are pigeons in the tower, ' he said. They aren ' t any hap- pier about being awakened at 7:45 am than a lot of students. They fly out when the bell begins clanging, but are always back when I go to work again at 12:55 pm ' . The bell hasn ' t always been in Ander- son ' s attic. Donated by eastern philan- thropist Joseph Ingalls in 1861, it was first housed in the Bluemont Central Col- lege building. It was moved in 1875 to Farm Machinery Hall, which was located near Burt Hall. When the central part of Anderson was completed in 1882, the bell was installed in the belfry where it remains today. A K-State historian, Charles M. Correll, told the Collegian in 1960 that the bell once rang every hour to signal the begin- ning and end of classes since time pieces were not common in those days. What had been a tradition at K-State became history in 1965 when the old bell was replaced by an electronic carillon. Presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ralf Hockens in appreciation for Kansas State ' s serv- ice to us, and to the people and the state of Kansas, it put Ingalls ' s gift into retire- ment. Contrary to popular belief, no hunch- backed centenarians are responsible for the music coming from the carillon. Instead, it consists of an electronic sys- tem with 98 bells that are struck by tiny hammers to produce sound. Rolls of music, similar to those used on a player piano, are used. Ken Heywood, director of the Endow- ment Association, decides what music to play, Marge Van Buren, EA secretary, said. He chooses from about 80 selec- tions that have been donated by campus groups. Besides playing every hour and half- hour, the carillon has been used for longer recitals. John Klein, a world- renowned carillonneur, played a dedica- tory recital on it in 1966. Occasionally, the bells announce a wedding in Dan- forth Chapel. Time marches on. And changes come with its passing. The Avi-Tron pigeon controller installed in Anderson has sent former feathered inhabitants to new roosts. The Anderson barbershop no longer exists. Barbers of those days would be hard put to fulfill requests for fros and other styled haircuts of today. Telling time has been of paramount importance to people since the sundial. Perhaps all would be better off not worry- ing about being there before the bell rings. But time is here to stay. Somewhere the green freshie will metamorphosize into a seasoned senior. Can ' t stay in school forever , kid. Whether appreciated or not, Anderson cupola melodies are there as a reminder of time ' s passing. anderson bell lower 21

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-as 22 the entertainers