winter 2014 | St. Lawrence University Magazine 23
22 winter 2014 | St. Lawrence University Magazine
Fund to Support
Chapel Restoration
Almost immediately following the fire that destroyed
the Gunnison Memorial Chapel spire and badly
damaged the bell tower, students, alumni and friends
began asking how they could help restore the chapel.
In response, the University started the Gunnison
Memorial Chapel Restoration Fund for gifts that will
contribute to the cleanup and restoration of the chapel
as quickly but carefully as possible.
While St. Lawrence's insurance will cover the majority
of the restoration, gifts will help to cover the deduct-
ible on the University's claim and may also be used for
associated work that needs to be completed aside from
the fire and water damage, including future chapel
maintenance and associated capital projects.
As of December 1, 2013, $19,000 had been contrib-
uted to the fund. To make a gift, call 888-758-4438 or
go to alumni.stlawu.edu/onetimegift and select “Gun-
nison Memorial Chapel Restoration Fund” in the list
of gift designations.
Because this fund will be restricted to a capital project
and the University continues to have other needs,
donors are encouraged to consider also supporting the
St. Lawrence Fund with a continued or new donation.
Learn more about the chapel restoration at
fire-updates.
Above: This image, taken from the Avenue of the Elms just one week
before the fire, is a reminder of what the chapel will look like again,
once repairs and restoration are completed in several months.
“The chapel bells are but a part of the whole pattern of
life here at St. Lawrence, but a much more influential
part than most students realize. Many alumni have said
that of all the different memories connected with this
college, the one that has remained throughout the years
most persistent, clear, and unaffected by the passing of
time is that of the chapel bells pealing out across the
campus in the early dusk of a winter afternoon.”
–Ann Harvey Somerhausen ’49
in the April 1949 edition of
The Laurentian
bells and bell-ringing his Uncle Nat and Cousin John told
him before he started ringing as a freshman. He recalls the
calluses he developed on his hands from pushing down so
hard on the console levers that control each bell, favorite
tunes like “Edelweiss” and “Frère Jacques” (which can be
played as a duet with another ringer), and the fun of playing
“Let it Snow” in May.
A favorite memory for Charlie is when the American men’s ice
hockey team won the “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid during
the 1980 Winter Olympics. In his excitement, he called Presi-
dent Frank Piskor at home at 11:30 at night to ask permission
to ring the bells. Given a hearty “OK,” Charlie climbed the
bell tower and played a selection of patriotic songs.
Buckley says she has always been impressed by the commit-
ment of the ringers she has known and the seriousness with
which they take their job. Like the Merrells, many speak
fondly of the bells, made clear by their anxious responses to
the recent fire. Alex Merrell sums up the feelings of genera-
tions of ringers this way: “Every day school is in session, you
can hear the bells at 5 o’clock all over St. Lawrence and all
over Canton. It’s cool to have such a constant and lasting
tradition. Just like my father and other ringers I’ve met, I’m
proud to have been part of it.”
For Elyse Merrell, her decision for college is at least a couple
of years away. However, she’s well aware that five generations
of her extended family have attended St. Lawrence (17 in-
dividuals to date) and she’s pleased to proclaim that she’s al-
ready mastered “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” on the bells.
Folklorist, historian and retired SUNY Canton professor Varick
Chittenden is the founder and special projects director of Tradi-
tional Arts in Upstate New York, which is headquartered on Main
Street in Canton.
And other facts about the bells of St. Lawrence
• The bells were donated by Irving Bacheller, an
1882 graduate of St. Lawrence and author of
the first best-selling novel of the 20th century, in
memory of his wife, Ann. To read the inscription,
turn to the front cover caption on page 1.
• The formal name of St. Lawrence’s set of bells
is the Bacheller Memorial Chime (singular),
“chime” being a collective noun like “flock” or
“bunch.” Popular usage has adopted “chimes,”
which dictionaries suggest is acceptable in casual
references.
• A chime is a set of 22 or fewer bells; more than
that forms a carillon. The bells of St. Lawrence are
a chime, since there are only 10 of them.
• The bells were cast by the Meneely Bell Com-
pany in Troy, N.Y. They cost a total of $5,000 in
1926; the value of the largest single bell – 4 feet
in diameter and weighing nearly 2 tons – today is
estimated at $125,000.
– From research by Neal Burdick '72 and Christopher Kenney '96
What’s a Chime?
In the winter of 1951 the bells froze
in the sub-zero weather. James Ster-
ling ’53 went to the dean’s house to
report the situation, and was greeted
at the door by the baby-sitter. This
first contact led to a date, marriage
and four children.
Want More on the Chapel?
A Gunnison Memorial Chapel digital exhibit of images
from the University Archives' extensive collection
of historical photographs can be viewed at www.
digitalcollections.stlawu.edu/collections/gunnison-
memorial-chapel. Many of the images are also on
display on the lower level of the Owen D. Young
Library. These holdings document the 87-year history
of the spiritual center of the campus.
Alumni who have additional photographs of Gunnison
that they would like to add to our holdings are invited
to contact University Archivist Mark McMurray at
.
“The chapel spire, the tallest object on the landscape of the St. Lawrence Valley,
will again stand over all the hopes and memories that develop each year on our
campus. The resounding chapel bells will play again before long. The familiar
change ringing and school songs will sound from the chapel area for all to hear
at the calm end of the day.”
–President Fox, from his “Message to the Community” following the fire.
Above: During the 1948-49 academic year, Nathaniel B. Merrell ’51,
left, plays the bells as his cousin, Dr. John S. Miller ’48, looks on.
Photo courtesy of the Merrell family.
