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As all students know, the recent renovation included the addition of a bell tower. The tower may be relatively new, but the bell has a history dating back to Beaver's first high school.
In 1861, a school constructed at the corner of Second and Market Streets, the current site of the Fire Department, held this bell. At the Market Street School, students responded to the bell calling them to class daily.
In 1880, the Market Street School became a high school, graduating its first class of five girls in 1884.
A new building was built beside the Market Street School in 1916: the Fort McIntosh School. Fort McIntosh School became the high school in 1922. The Market Street school remained the junior high.
After Beaver College (located on the current College Square site) moved to Jenkintown in 1925, the people of Beaver purchased the building. An auditorium and gymnasium were built in 1927. The high school then moved to this building because of increasing enrollment. A new section was added to the building in 1954.
In 1959, College Square became the junior high when the high school moved to its present location. In that same year, the Market Street School was demolished. The Market Street School's bell was placed atop a small brick building disguising a gas main in front of College Square.
The high school gained a new wing in 1967, the 300's and 400's halls.
In 1980, the remaining Beaver College building was torn down making room for a playground for the newly dubbed College Square elementary school. The junior high moved to the Gypsy Glen facility with the high school. The Vanport and Bridgewater schools were closed as well as Beaver's elementary schools Lincoln and Fort McIntosh. Fort McIntosh School remains the School District's administrative offices.
When the High School was renovated from 1994-1996, the bell tower was built. The bell was removed from College Square and placed in the new bell tower. A reproduction of the bell took its place at College Square.
When the bell was first rung in the tower, it made only a dull humming sound. This suggested that the bell originally might have been for display purposes only. The school district has now purchased an electronic chiming system.
The bell now sits in the tower of Beaver's fourth high school.