In 1981 Mrs. Harris gave an additional bell, the 48th one, in honor of her husband. With its set of 48 bronze bells, the Janet Jeffrey Carlile Harris Carillon is reported to be one of fewer than 25 grande carillons in North America, and it is one of only six traditional carillons in North Carolina. Cast by the Paccard Fonderie de Cloches in Annecy, France, a 200-year old foundry, the Wake Forest bells range from 28 pounds to 4,397 pounds and together weigh nearly 12 tons. Twenty-nine bear a cast inscription of verse or prose.
Controls are in a room directly below.
The sound is produced by mechanically activated clappers controlled from a clavier, a console keyboard similar to that of an organ with wooden batons in place of keys. The batons require striking by the hand, or in the case of the lower, larger bells, by the hand or by the foot from a pedalboard below the manual keyboard. The carillon is played on weekends, before and after convocations and ceremonies, and at specially scheduled recitals. Return to the Wait Chapel Page . Send an e-mail Comment .