The Story of the Seany Bell
by Louise Eady
The old bell in Seney Hall Tower has struck regularly every half hour for most of the college’s history. It also rings at commencement and other special ceremonies. In January 1866, the bell signaled the reopening of the college after it had been closed during the Civil War.
The bell was a gift from Dr. Alexander Means, the fourth president of Emory College. It arrived at Oxford in 1855 and was hung in Oxford’s original administration building, Old Main. When that building was torn down in 1872, the bell was hung from a tree on the Quadrangle until Seney Hall was completed in 1881. At that point, the bell was hung in the clock tower of Seney, where it remains to this day. The bell, which is made of copper and tin, weighs about 500 pounds. On one side is a cross and on the other is a figure of the Virgin Mary with her hands folded in prayer. There are several inscriptions in Latin and Spanish, including a short poem,
The bell was a gift from Dr. Alexander Means, the fourth president of Emory College. It arrived at Oxford in 1855 and was hung in Oxford’s original administration building, Old Main. When that building was torn down in 1872, the bell was hung from a tree on the Quadrangle until Seney Hall was completed in 1881. At that point, the bell was hung in the clock tower of Seney, where it remains to this day. The bell, which is made of copper and tin, weighs about 500 pounds. On one side is a cross and on the other is a figure of the Virgin Mary with her hands folded in prayer. There are several inscriptions in Latin and Spanish, including a short poem,
May my voice loud and clear
With sweet melody
Praise God and worship Him
With sweet melody
Praise God and worship Him
Over the years there has been some disagreement about how Dr. Means obtained the bell. Supposedly it was cast in a Spanish monastery in 1796. One version of the story, told by Oxford resident and Emory grad, George W. W. Stone, Jr., was that the bell had been stolen from its monastery by Napoleon and carried along with many other of Spain’s bells to Paris to be melted down and made into cannons. For some reason, this bell was not melted down and was thrown aside. Years later Dr. Means was taking a tour of Europe, saw the bell, and bought it.
Another Oxford native said that she had always heard that Dr. Means and Queen Victoria were good friends. Supposedly the queen was so interested that Emory College was in a town named Oxford (after the English university town) that she presented the bell for the college clock. Later, the Queen Victoria version was corroborated by Dr. Means’ granddaughter, Sue Means Johnson, and has been accepted by many to be the truth. In fact, it was stated that Means had been made a Fellow of the Royal Society by Queen Victoria, showing a connection between the two. However, in 1975 an Emory student, Jane King, wrote a letter to the Royal Society seeking information about the bell and Dr. Means. She was informed that Dr. Alexander Means was not a Fellow of the Royal Society and they had no information on him. They had no knowledge of a bell being presented to him by Queen Victoria. So, the truth about the origin of the bell still remains unresolved.
Over the years, many pranks involving the bell have been played by college students. The clock has been set to continuously ring the bell on some occasions. Flags and other items have frequently been hung from the clock tower over the years. One former student has told the story of a large red pair of women’s underwear having been once hung from the bell tower.
Regardless of its origin, the old bell has been an important part of the history of the college and the town and many memories are associated with it.
Another Oxford native said that she had always heard that Dr. Means and Queen Victoria were good friends. Supposedly the queen was so interested that Emory College was in a town named Oxford (after the English university town) that she presented the bell for the college clock. Later, the Queen Victoria version was corroborated by Dr. Means’ granddaughter, Sue Means Johnson, and has been accepted by many to be the truth. In fact, it was stated that Means had been made a Fellow of the Royal Society by Queen Victoria, showing a connection between the two. However, in 1975 an Emory student, Jane King, wrote a letter to the Royal Society seeking information about the bell and Dr. Means. She was informed that Dr. Alexander Means was not a Fellow of the Royal Society and they had no information on him. They had no knowledge of a bell being presented to him by Queen Victoria. So, the truth about the origin of the bell still remains unresolved.
Over the years, many pranks involving the bell have been played by college students. The clock has been set to continuously ring the bell on some occasions. Flags and other items have frequently been hung from the clock tower over the years. One former student has told the story of a large red pair of women’s underwear having been once hung from the bell tower.
Regardless of its origin, the old bell has been an important part of the history of the college and the town and many memories are associated with it.