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Furman University is seeking donations for the "Heart and Mind" campaign from alumni and preservationists who are interested in helping to save the venerable Bell Tower and improve the technologies of the James B. Duke Library. Both facilities are located on the Furman University campus.The Burnside Carillon has not been played in performance for more than a decade, and has not had a full range of operable bells since the mid-�80s. The Bell Tower that houses the carillon also is showing its age, and its clock faces don't always agree with the current time. Furman University believes this icon of Furman was too important to leave behind when the �new� campus was established more than 40 years ago, and today it is too important to remain silent. With the generous support of Furman Univeristy Alumni, this symbol of Furman's history, beauty and strength can be restored. The James B. Duke Library (seen in second photo) opened in 1958 to serve a student body of 1,500 and 70-member faculty. It seated half of the students and had shelves for 100,000 volumes. Over the past 40 years, the collection has grown to more than 400,000 volumes, and the library is a resource for more than 2,600 students and 200 faculty members. With seating for only 11 percent of the current population, the need to bring the Library up to the standards of other new facilities is critical. The Heart and Mind initiative will not only improve the building, but also endow library programs, providing more than $6 million in leading technology.
Many alumni couples began their lives together at the Bell Tower. But some stories stand apart from the others � On Valentine's Day, Trey Massey �83-a.k.a. �Cupid�-descended from a rope, swinging through the archway to prove his love for Kelly Driver '84. Some of those who waited until after graduation to propose have driven across several states to return to the Bell Tower. It was so popular during one homecoming weekend in the early �80s, a would-be pair could not find a private floor to make their commitment official. The Tower has been a concert venue over the years, as students have often used it for impromptu performances. Of course, the entire community shared the thrill of hearing the bells played during Tchaikovsky's �1812 Overture� on the Fourth of July. Furman Universtiy would like for you to share your own Bell Tower or James B. Duke Library story. In June 2002, Bell Tower and library stories contributed by alumni will be posted on the Furman Universtiy web site. Donations can be made on line at: Heart and Mind Campaign (Photos provided by Furman Universtiy.)
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The Bell Tower evokes wonderful memories for Furman Alumni:
A picture of the Bell Tower greets Sally Arnold �77 every morning as she sits down to her computer at the U.S. Department of Energy. Other alumni carry pictures of it in their minds and feel that a visit to Furman is incomplete until they have laid eyes on it again.