Close to a month after the original removal date, the Lincoln Academy belfry and bell were removed from the school by a crane the morning of Friday, Oct. 6, bringing administrators an unexpected revelation about a piece of the school’s history.
The belfry and bell removal completes the first of a three-phase project to address structural concerns and restore the bell tower, one of the most recognizable icons of the LA campus for over 150 years.
The removal, completed by Keeley Crane Service, of South Portland, took place during a professional development day when there were no students on campus. Due to the weight of the components, crews secured and took down the belfry first, followed by the bell.
The activity drew a crowd of spectators, as faculty, staff, and members of the community gathered in the courtyard as crews worked.
“We were all a little giddy about the whole thing,” said Jenny Mayher, the school’s communication director. “All of the meetings released and the entire faculty and staff came out to the courtyard to watch.”
The presence of rot and other signs of wear in the belfry made its need for its complete reconstruction evident, Mayher said. The findings didn’t come as a surprise to administrators, who have previously expressed concerns about the status of the structure.
It was the 600-pound bronze bell that brought unanticipated news. Originally, school administration believed the bell had been cast at The Verdin Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they planned to send it for repairs. However, once the bell was on the ground, they found it was engraved with Henry N. Hooper & Co., which was based in Boston, Mass. Further research indicated the bell was cast in 1854 by Henry Hooper, who apprenticed in the foundry started by Paul Revere.
“We’re still trying to figure out the timing, but we know he was an apprentice in the Revere Foundry, even if we don’t know who his teacher was,” Mayher said. “It was all news to us, and we’re trying to research more of its history now.”
As the research into the bell unfolds, the project now moves into its second phase. An engineer will evaluate the structure of the bell tower and make recommendations about what work is necessary to complete in order to replace the belfry and bell, which is the third and final phase of the project.
Until an engineer is able to make that assessment, the cost and timeline of the project remain unknown, Mayher said.
The entirety of the project will be completed with private funds. The school’s fundraising campaign launched at the start of the school year and was recently renamed from the Save the Bell campaign to the Raise the Bell.
“It made more sense when we considered what the actual goals of the campaign are,” Mayher said. “The bell itself needs some work, but it’s mostly cosmetic. Getting it back up there is what’s going to take the time and money.”
Throughout the fundraising process, school officials also hope to collect more recollections about the bell from the community.
“There have been a couple fires that have burned records … so we’re trying to fill in the gaps,” Mayher said. “We’re not just looking for information, but curating any memories people might have about the bell.”
For more information about the Raise the Bell campaign or to submit a memory or make a donation, go to lincolnacademy.org/support/raise-the-la-bell.
