After many months of structural repairs, construction on the Main Building tower was completed Sept. 9. The original 1940 Stucksede bell, which resided in the tower for many years, is now ringing again.

The bell was removed by the university and sent to the Verdin Company factory in Cincinnati to be refurbished. This summer, the bell was returned to its home in Main Building tower and now rings on the hour.

Associate Vice President of Facilities Michael Peterson oversaw the structural repairs which began on March 24. This vast amount of work was finished without any complications.

“The scope of work included stone and timber repairs, new waterproofing of the floor and replacement of the bird netting and its mounting hardware,” Peterson said. “Speakers were also placed in the tower and the system can be used for alert tones in the event of tornados or other events happening on campus.”

The facilities department decided to repair the bell after the fasteners holding up the bird netting began to rust — creating cracks in the stone.

“The circular opening on the south side of the tower was opened, a new frame was constructed and the bell was lifted into place,” Peterson said.

The bell was believed to be made at Stuckstede & Bro. bell foundry which operated in St. Louis, Missouri from 1890 to 1940.

For some students, including sophomore Tabitha Elder, the bell is a unique reminder of the history and tradition at St. Edward’s University.

“In a way it reminded me of the old church bells of Notre Dame,” Elder said. “The bells seem to be louder and the sound resonates throughout the campus. I felt like it was calling the students back to school.”

According to Peterson, students and faculty are not allowed to visit the bell tower because access requires navigating a mechanical system, which can be dangerous.

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