Letter to the Editor – Summer 2025
June 14, 2025
Pictured is the memorial bench made from the foundation of the original Central Hall and the bell that hung from the belfry on top of the building in 1857.
“The article, ‘Milestones In Time, A Journey Through Our College’s Legacy,’ in the fall 2024 issue of Civitas, is a very interesting read with a wonderful assortment of photos. However, there is one photo that is misidentified.
On page 17, there is a photo of four students gathered around a stone bench with a large bell mounted on one end identified as ‘The Victory Bell.’
The bell in that photo was actually in the belfry on top of the first building of Central, called Central Hall. The bell first called Central students to classes in 1857. The bell was struck by lightning in 1914 and sustained a large crack. In 1922, Central Hall burned to the ground. The bell was the only artifact saved.
It was later mounted on the limestone bench which was built from foundation stones from Central Hall. The photo is of the memorial bench and bell from Central Hall.
When the college established the memorial garden on Peace Mall near the Chapel several years ago, a modernist interpretation of this bell was created and mounted along with a new plaque describing the bell and naming it ‘Resilience’ to symbolize Central’s resilience through difficult times. The original Central Bell is in storage.
(For more information on the Central Hall bell, see central.edu/peace-mall/markers.)
The Victory Bell is another bell with a different history. It hung from a tower next to the old gymnasium, built in about 1920 where the Chapel now is located.
After P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium was built, the bell was installed on a contemporary I-beam frame and placed off the southwest corner of Kuyper Gym.
No longer on display, the Victory Bell is also in storage.
A plaque inside the P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium reads:
‘Victory Bell – Babe Tysseling
The Victory Bell was presented to Central College by the Class of 1929. The Class of 1930 provided a tower for its installation on a high spot overlooking the 1930 site of the track and football field where it remained for 50 years.
Funds for relocation and installation were furnished by the 1980 students of Central College with a matching gift by the Leroy Timmer Family.
The project is a tribute to Richard “Babe” Tysseling – player, coach and administrator – in recognition of the hundreds of Central College athletic victories during his long and successful career from September 1928 to May 1976.’
Thank you to Jeanette Budding, senior content strategist – editorial, for her great articles about Central’s history and legacies.”
— Lois De Haan Smith ’68
Pella, Iowa