The Plaque:
Bell 3, A
Presented by Wellington Rankin '03
In Memory Of His Mother
Olive Pickering Rankin, 1854 - 1947
Olive Rankin was a school teacher who lived several years on a ranch in Montana before moving to Missoula. She was the mother of
Jeannette Pickering Rankin, suffragette and the first woman elected to Congress.
There is a dedication plaque for each of the 47 bells of the carillon in the alcove of the main entrance of University Hall, the oldest building on campus.
The carillon tower, built in 1897, was dedicated to John Ellis, music professor and carillonneur of the university, after his death in 1992. Originally simply a bell tower, it became a carillon tower when the donated carillon bells were installed. It was dedicated on October 18th, 1953. It contains 47 bells, covering four octaves, all of which were donated by friends of the university. The nine ton carillon is played from the clavier below. It was played for 23 years by carillonneur John C. Ellis, from 1969 to 1992.