Since Le Mans Hall was established in 1926, its bell tower has never featured a bell to ring. That changed at 9 p.m. Saturday during alumnae weekend — a new bell was uncovered, and the tower broke a century-long silence.
The church bell is 45 inches in diameter and 1,800 pounds.
To obtain the bell, the College collaborated with the Verdin Company to restore, transport and install the bell. Saint Mary’s previously worked with the company on a tower clock outside of Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex.
“The Verdin Company, based in Cincinnati, is a well known, family-owned pioneer of cast bronze bells, clocks, and towers,” executive director of marketing and communications Charlie Simpson wrote. “The College looked at a couple of other bell companies, but selected Verdin based on our history with them.”
Verdin technicians spent 10-12 hours on May 27-28 to ensure the bell’s components were installed and structured correctly. A crane lifted the components to the tower.
“We waited to install the bell until after commencement when students and faculty would not be on campus,” Simpson wrote. “The bell was draped with a tarp until the June 6 unveiling.”
The project was a dream come true according to College President Katie Conboy. The Center Building on the Sisters’ property already had a bell, which Conboy used to explain why a bell in Le Mans may not have seemed necessary when the building was established.
“Forged in 1865, 20 years after the College’s founding, this 45-inch, 1800-pound bronze bell hung in a church tower on the East Coast, where it rang for more than 150 years,” Conboy said at the launch event.
Conboy hopes this creates new traditions for Saint Mary’s students, including annual designated bell ringers or ringing the bell for athletic championships. Angelina Stupak, a student trustee during the 2025-2026 school year, also said she was excited about seeing the bell and its representation of Saint Mary’s.
“I’m really excited about the new bell that we’re having in Le Mans Hall. We are belles as students and so I think that the bell will just continue to provide the symbolization of who we are, where we come from and where we will go in the future,” Stupak said.
