Ephrata Alumni Association

Celebration Bell

There was a lot of excitement surrounding the plans for the EHS-100 Reunion. After months of trying to come up with a plausible plan for a gift to leave to Ephrata High School in commemoration of the 100-year celebration, the Ephrata High School student representative to the committee came up with an idea that met the approval of all involved and pleased former students of Ephrata High School. Chance Flanigan, who will graduate with the class of 2014, suggested removing the bell that hung in the bell tower at the front entrance of the 1953 high school building and creating a “celebration bell” that will be used at various school sponsored athletic events and activities.

Chance is a very thorough young man and he had the project well planned before he approached the Ephrata School Board to enlist their approval of removing the bell from its current placement and gaining the board’s acceptance of the bell display. Within hours of receiving approval Chance involved Rock Witte, Kent Devine and Dick Russell, members of the Ephrata School District staff, in the first step of the project, removing the bell. The bell was eventually mounted on a cart which was manufactured in the school’s welding shop. Before the manufacturing began Chance involved math teachers with drawing the cart’s specifications. A commemorative plaque will be attached to the display.

As plans were being formulated Kathleen Allstot, advisor to Ephrata High School Associated Student Body officers reported, “The 100-year reunion committee, along with student body and senior class members, will collaborate on having the bell cleaned, mounted on a movable framework and put back in use.” She indicated that, “At this point the bell’s origins are murky, but since photos of earlier high school buildings show bell towers, it is assumed that the bell came from the earlier schools and was installed in the “new” building in 1953. Without a clapper or any way to toll the bell, it has been mute for some time.” Life-time community member and 1938 graduate of EHS Bill Robinson indicated, “I can’t be certain where it came from but I know it has to be older than I am.”

Chance coordinated the bell effort and had the bell ready to commemorate and celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2014 on the evening of June 6th, 2014 at Kiwanis Field. He is a successful, enterprising young man – he got it done. The bell was on display as during the opening ceremonies of the EHS-100 Reunion on June 7, 2014.