Carillon is 'icon of this university'

Bells rang out over campus Wednesday as hundreds gathered on the lawn between Burgin-Dossett and Gilbreath halls to watch university officials dedicate the school's newest landmark, the ETSU Foundation Carillon and Alumni Plaza.
"This artfully crafted musical instrument represents what will become an icon of this university," said Leslie Parks Pope, who sits on the Tennessee Board of Regents and the ETSU Foundation.
Parks Pope joined President Stanton and other officials in formally announcing the opening of the structure.
Donated by the Foundation with the help of the ETSU Alumni Association, the $750,000 bell tower and surrounding grounds is meant to be a gift to be enjoyed by all members of the university community as the school approaches its 100th anniversary in 2011, said Jeremy Ross, associate vice president of university advancement.
Made of brick and stone, the carillon, a 25-bell musical instrument, is encased in a 48-foot clock tower and surrounded by a concrete meeting area. Bells will chime at different times throughout the day, and the instrument is capable of playing tunes to signify special occasions, like homecoming and graduation.
An additional 250-pound bell, called the Alumni Bell, was also dedicated in hopes of reviving an ETSU tradition that was lost with the disappearance of the Unity Bell. The Unity Bell was once a fixture on campus and part of a graduation rite, where students rang a bell after graduating.
Each of the bells bears the names of private sponsors who contributed money to the carillon.
Begun in April, the project was completed in record time using Cincinnati-based bell-makers, The Verdin Co., Ken Ross Architects and Burleson Construction, officials said.
"This is just another piece of the puzzle that's making this university great," said Dan Mahoney, president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and one of the project's coordinators.