"London has its Big Ben whose chimes are a part of the everyday life of that city, and without which Londoners would feel something was missing. Cane hill has its bell and the citizens attitude toward it and their affection are similar to that of their British cousins.
The whole community was brought to an abrupt realization recently, that they might have to get along without the bell. It was discovered by Bryan Reed that the bell was missing from its accustomed place in the belfry where it has hung for years. Nobody knew exactly when it was taken, of course. A news sort was put in the Fayetteville daily paper that evening the county sheriff had a call saying that the bell would be found in the parking lot at the University Stadium. This proved to be true and a truck was dispatched for it at once. It is again hanging where it has been for so long.
In the early days of the college, Uncle Rankin Pyeatte, one of the board of trustees, was notified by a friend of his who was the captain of a river boat, the Grapeshot, that his boat had sunk at Van Buren and that he would give the bell to the college if they would salvage it.
No time was wasted. Mr. Pyeatte immediately took an ox team of four and a wagon, along with axes to clear a way over the mountains, and off they went to Van Buren. It was necessary to hire DRIVERS to remove the bell from the craft and it was loaded on the wagon to make its slow trip back over the mountains to the young college.
A derrick-like belfry was erected and the bell hung. Shortly it was ringing out the hours of the school and the countryside. It was said that the sound carried as far over the hills as Cove Creek on some days. It became a part of the lives of all in the community.
When most of Cane Hill was burned after the battle of Prairie Grove, the old belfry was put to the torch and the crashed to the ground cracking so badly as a result, that it was no longer usable. As soon as the war was over, the college assisted by local contributions, sent the bell back to the Cincinnati, Ohio, foundry where it was originally cast, for re-casting.
Although the college burned again, the bell was intact and was moved to the new location of the brick structure that still stands. After some years in an open belfry the school decided it needed a better housing, and a new enclosed bell tower was erected. This has somewhat shortened the distance it can be heard, though it still is heard all over Cane Hill.
The old college chapel was the sanctuary for the local Presbyterian USA group and the bell served as a summons to Sunday School and church to toll mournfully for funerals and joyful for weddings. A custom that goes into the dim recesses of history is that of ringing out the old year and the new. It is also run on July 4th.
Many people go to look at the bell and to give it a short ring or two. Perhaps somebody will see fit to erect a more ornamental bell tower with adequate protection to prevent the entrance of vandals.
*Taken from the October 1966 issue Vol. XVI, No. 4 of the Washington County Historical Society's publication of FLASHBACK"
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