Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-04-16


venient to play upon. The bells played
in the true Belgian fashion, with one bell to
each key and no duplication in the treble,
E. G. Gammons present carillonneur, and
NJ Lefevere feel that duplication in the treble
is opposed to the natural principle of the
carlton art. Mr.. Gammons is a gifted artist
and his playing has greatly enriched the lives
of Cohassets citizens and neighbors.
I PROFESSIONALLY, the most ideally con-
ceived and located carlton in the United
States is the Singing Tower of the Noun
tain Lake Bird Sanctuary in Florida, being a
gift to the Nation of the late Edward w. Box
In erecting this magnificent Singing Tower
and Bird Sanctuary, Edward Box, editor and
philanthropist has not only ideally fulfilled
a dream which began when he was boy, but
he has literally carried out the message left
/ him by his illustrious Dutch grandparents
~"Wherever your life may be cast, make you or
the world a bit more beautiful and better place
TO live" An extraordinary amount of skill,
genius, creative art, to say nothing of the
stupendous amount of material used and the
staggering cost has gone into the making of
this superb instrument and sanctuary. The
tower, EOS feet high, made of steel. Georgia
marble and native stone, rises on the peak of
Iron Mountain, highest point Of land in the
State. The carvings on the tower, which repre-
sent the fauna and nora Of Florida wild life,
are of unusual beauty and design. Another
outstanding feature is the sun dial on the
south wall, showing the time of day and the
day of the month, with a table at its base in
dicating the difference between sun and clock
time in that latitude. Away up in the tower
are the bells, 81 in number. The largest bell,
weighing $4,000 pounds, carries the dedication.
This fine musical instrument is fitted with an
electro-pnsumatic console with ivory keyboard;
ole offo TrGo Obi
ful guidance of Frederick Olmstead the
sanctuary consisting of 48 acres surrounding
the tower has been transformed into verita-
bic Eden, with magnificent tropical shrubs and
trees. one-haf of which were gathered within
a radius of 20 miles of the sanctuary F1ori-
das Singing Tower was dedicated on February
l. 1929. by President Coolidge who spoke on
the cultural aspects of the carlton and
, lauded the donor for his munificent gift to the
American people. Recitals occur on Sundays,
Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays at 3
o'clock from December Is to April Is and on
holidays, by Anton Brees, outstanding Flem-
ish-American carilloneur. Edward Box lived
only one year after the carlton was COM
pleted He is buried in q crypt st tn base of
the tower.
Universities and institutions of higher learn
ing in the United States are fast becoming
carlton minded, as is evidenced by the splen-
did examples of this wonderful instrument
iouHO at princeton university, the university
of North Carolina. the University of Chicago.
Duke University, Durham. N. c., and others
belonging to colleges and academies, as at
Nashville Tenn; Hartford, Conn; Ames,
Iowa; Andover, Mass, and Mecersburg, Pa
most notable one, due to its ideal setting
and richness Of tone, is the sing ng tower in
the Mercersburg Academy Chapel, installed in
1926. The location of the Academy Chapel
which rises an eminence overlooking the
Cumberland Valley and the Blue Ridge Noun
tains, is favorable for bringing out the rare
quality and charm Of the music. A we'll known
clergyman, after hearing the Mercersburg CARL
lon said: 1T sounds like q great harp in the
heavens" Annually thousands of visitors from
all over the Eastern part Of the United States,
including many Washingtonians, gather to hear
the Mercersburg Carlton. Regular concerts are
held by Bryan Barker, carillonneur, on Sat