National Peace Carillon

Proposed National Peace Carillon

Construction of a National Peace Carillon in Washington, D.C. was proposed by James Marion Shull shortly after the Great War ended in November 1918. His idea was to make the bells from captured German cannons, as had been done in earlier conflicts. Although never built, the proposal received wide publicity and helped to inform the American public about carillons.

The Arts Club of Washington supported the project until asking the General Federation of Women's Clubs for their support in October 1920. They in turned helped to incorporate the National Carillon Association in Washington in 1923 to raise funds for the project. They engaged noted architect Prof. Paul P. Cret, F.A.I.A. to design the bell tower, which would soar 350 feet over the National Mall near the White House that wold house 54 bells. Shortly after this, the General Federal of Women's Clubs appeared to have lost interest in the project and a 1953 history of the organization admitted that their interest was largely to help build a new headquarters building for their group that would be located next to the peace carillon. They secured an existing building in Washington for a headquarter in 1922 and the National Peace Carillon was left to wither on the vine. Sad, but the publicity surrounding the proposed carillon did much to inform Americans about them.

Tiffany Ng's 2015 doctoral dissertation noted that "Since 1919, every American carillon has been built in the imposing shadow of a carillon proposed as a memorial and monument to peace, to be built in Washington, D.C. from World War I shrapnel collected from around the world."

References
1917 "Historic Chimes of Flanders Hushes by Vandalism," The Washington Post, November 18, 1917, Page 7.

1918 "Vindictive Vandalism's Worst," The Literary Digest 57(8):29 (May 25, 1918)
Melting down of the historic carillons of Belgium.

1918 "Cannon for Carillons," Boston Evening Transcript, November 19, 1918
Molten German Guns for Peace Bells

1918 "Artist Here Proposes Enemy Guns Be Made Peace Carillon," The Sunday Star, December 1, 1918, Page 22.
Mr. Shull would have material remolded into bells for capitals of Allied nations.

1918 "A Peace Carillon," letter to the editor from J.M.S., December 5, 1918, New York Times, December 8, 1918, Page 41.

1918 "Cannon for Peace Bells," The Literary Digest 59(11):31 (December 14, 1918)

1919 The Washington Peace Pavilion, [by James Marion Shull] | also here |
Reprinted from The Boston Transcript (Nov. 29, 1918); also printed in The Washington Star (Dec. 1, 1918) and The Literary Digest (Dec. 14, 1918

1919 "War Adds a 'Peace Bell' to Belgium's Classic Carillons," Kansas City Star, January 4, 1919, Page 10.
Captured Cannon Afford Material for New Chimes to Hang in the Historic Belfries Looted by the German Armies in the Period of Military Occupation.

1919 The national peace carillon, by Arts Club of Washington [No copy of this has been found]

1919 "Arch with Carillon Tower May Commemorate War's End," by J. Marion Shull, Washington Sunday Star, January 12, 1919, Page 2-6

1919 "Shell Cases as War Booty Offer Metal for Carillon," Washington Evening Star, March 21, 1919, Page 20.
Need 60,000 pounds. Should have fifty bells. It can be played automatically or by hand.

1919 "Carillon for Capital," The Washington Post, July 6, 1919, Page E14. | also here |
Chiming Bell Proposed for Meridian Hill Park. Proposal made by J. Marion Shull as Soldiers' Memorial and Tribute to Belgium. Art Club Speakers Indorse Plan, Heartily.

1919 "Carillon for United States to be Made World's Finest," The Sunday Star, September 28, 1919, Page 7.
People to Subscribe for Memorial to Belgium--Probable Location Here. Tower Pictures at Museum.

1919 "The National Peace Carillon," Art and Architecture, 8(3):293-295 (September-October 1919)
Advocated by the Arts Club of Washington

1919 "Famous Carillons in Arts Club Show," Washington Evening Star, October 3, 1919, Page 32
Reproductions Displayed to Arouse Interest in Project in District of Columbia

1919 "Would Give Salvaged Metals to Arts Club," Washington Evening Star, October 18, 1919, Page 3
200,000 pounds of brass shell cases or other brass or cooper, salvaged from the Battlefields of France and Belgium

1919 "Carillons His Topic," The Washington Post, October 19, 1919, Page 16.
W.G. Rice to be Guest of Honor of Arts Club Thursday.

1919 "William Gorham Rice is Guest of Arts Club," Washington Evening Star, October 24, 1919, Page 13
Discussing proposed National Memorial Carillon, he outlines history of bell music. Foremost authority on carillons in this country and who has written two books on the subject.

1919 "Bells of Peace for Washington," by Frederic J. Haskin, The Washington Times, October 25, 1919, Page 24.

1919 "Seeks Bells of States," The Washington Post, October 26, 1919, Page 37.
Art Club Plans to Establish Huge Carillon Here.

1919 "The National Peace Carillon Advocated by the Arts Club of Washington," Art and Archeology, 8(6):366 (November-December 1919)
The Arts Club of Washington has appointed the National Peace Carillon Committee to carry its wishes into effect.

1920 "Carillon Tower Planned as a Victory Memorial," The New York Times Magazine, February 1, 1920, Pages 5-6. | pdf |
Music of Bells, One Provided by Each State and Territory, Would Sound over Washington as Daily Reminders of America's Part in the World War.

1920 "Carillon Tower Planned as a Victory Memorial by the Arts Club of Washington," Art and Architecture 9(2):92 (February 1920)

1920 "World's Greatest Carillon for Washington," The Sunday Star, February 29, 1920, page 4-1 | part 2 |

1920 "Mechlin Contains Finest Carillon," letter from William Gorham Rice, The Sunday Star, March 7, 1920, Page 23.
Josef Denyn Will Give Recitals on Bells This Summer in Belgium

1920 "An American Carillon That Will Blend Music and Patriotism in Its Chimes," The Sunday Oregonian, March 7, 1920, Magazine Section, Page 5

1920 "The Washington Peace Carillon," by Erwin F. Smith, The American Magazine of Art 11(6):195 (April 1920)
Poem

1920 "Carillon Planned As War Memorial," Democrat and Chronicle, May 21, 1920, Page 31.
Bell Music of Flanders May Be Introduced in Washington.

1920 "Governors Favor Bell Tower Here," The Washington Post, September 5, 1920, Page 12.
Thirty-four State Heads Indorse Plans of Arts Club.

1920 "A Distinguished American Visits Belgium," Buffalo Evening News, September 16, 1920, Page 12.
The Hon. William Gorham Rice, chairman of the civil service committee of New York state, has just returned with Mrs. Rice from a short visit to Holland, Belgium and England.

1920 "Activities of the Arts Club of Washington," Art and Archaeology 10(4):154 (October 1920)
The Carillon Committee of the Arts Club entertained at a dinner at the Club House September 15, 1920, the Directors of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, who were then in session in Washington, and requested their cooperation in the nation-wide project for the erection of a bell tower and carillon as a national peace memorial to the American soldiers, sailors, and marines of the world-war. The project contemplates the use of the building not only as a school for master carillon players, but also as a museum for relics from the battle-fields of France and Belgium, and a place of assembly for patriotic purposes. Letters have been received from the governors of forty states endorsing the movement, and it has been commended by various organizations. The Council of the General Federation has appointed a committee to report at its next meeting, when action will be taken.

1921 "Illustrated Lecture on 'Carillons in Holland and Belgium' before the Arts Club of Washington," Art and Archaeology 11(3):121 (March 1921)
The Carillon Committee of the Arts Club, which is promoting the plan for the erection of a National Peace Carillon in the Capital City, launched their movement in an effective manner Thursday evening, February 12, 1921, at a meeting in the auditorium of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, when Colonel William Gorham Rice of Albany, N. Y., a recognized authority on the carillon, gave an illustrated lecture on "Carillons in Holland and Belgium.”
Colonel Rice urged the commemoration of a great epoch in our history by a memorial in which the 48 states of the Union, and the 6 territories should be each represented by a bell attuned in perfect unison with its fellows. These 54 bells would form a great carillon to be placed in a noble tower that should be built in Washington.
He reassured the Arts Club of the coöperation of Mrs. Rice and himself in its plans and made the promise to secure the funds for the bell that is to represent New York State. Mr. Rice then gave an interesting description of his journey last August to Holland and Belgium, undertaken to see how the Belgium carillons had stood the five years of war. He found that so great had been Belgium's industry since the end of the World War, and so fearful were the Germans of the penalty promised them by President Wilson if, when evacuating the great Belgian cities after the Armistice, they destroyed any property, that all the finest carillon towers—Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Malines-had been spared. In fact, only two important ones—Ypres and Louvain— had been destroyed.
An illustrated article on this subject by Mr. Rice will appear in a future number of ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY.

1921 "Noted Bellmaker Here to Confer on Carillon," Washington Evening Star, March 30, 1921, Page 13.
E. Denison Taylor to Discuss Chimes in War Memorial with Arts Club.

1921 "75 Tons of Bells in Carillon Will Make No Din or Clamor," Washington Evening Star, March 31, 1921, Page 17.
Englishman E. Denison Taylor Dwells on Mysteries of Bells Capable of Playing any Tune a Piano can Play.

1921 "A Great National Peace Carillon Proposed," by Alice Harriman, The Los Angeles Times Illustrated Magazine, April 3, 1921, Page 6 | part 2 |

1921 "Carillon as Memorial to U.S. Deeds in War," Trenton Evening Times, May 10, 1921, Page 8.
While in the United States to arrange the details of the installation at Yale University of a set of bells, the largest to weight 13,000 pounds, E. Denison Taylor, one of the most noted of English bell founders, conferred in Washington with members of the Arts Club in reference to a national peace carillon to be erected in Washington as a memorial to commemorate the sacrifices of America in the World War.

1921 "Women of Nation Speed Drive for Victory Carillon," The Washington Times, July 14, 1921, Page 3.
Club Federations Approve Plan for Bell Tower to Be Erected in Capital.

1921 "Memorial Carillon Plan Soon to Be Put in Effect," The Washington Herald, July 17, 1921, Page 30.
Mighty Harmonies of Fifty-four Bells Will Sound Over Capital from 300-Foot Tower.

1921 "National Peace Carillon," Washington Sunday Star, July 17, 1921, Page 46.
Immediate steps will be taken to make the necessary legal incorporation, and active work will be carried on vigorously.

1921 "The Carillons of Belgium after the Great War," by William Gorham Rice, Art and Archeology 12(2):51-73 (August 1921)

1921 "Erection of a National Peace carillon, by W B. Westlake, Art and Archeology 12(2):94 (August 1921)
An announcement of great interest to the city of Washington and to the country at large has just been made. The General Federation of Women's Clubs at its June meeting in Salt Lake City, unanimously and enthusiastically endorsed the report of a special committee approving the National Peace Carillon proposed by the Arts Club of Washington, and authorized the representatives of the Federation to join in the incorporation of the association to bring about the erection of the memorial.
This announcement means that the forty-seven thousand clubs and the two million five hundred thousand members of the General Federation of Women's Clubs will be active in the Carillon movement and that the Carillon will take on the character of a national woman's memorial to the valor of those who died defending the cause of liberty in the late war.
The Carillon Project had its inception at a meeting of the Arts Club of Washington nearly two years ago, when J. Marion Shull, the artist, read a paper on the subject. So much enthusiasm was aroused that it was immediately voted that the Arts Club undertake to bring about the erection of a Carillon in Washington.
The board of governors approved the plans and a special committee consisting of W. B. Westlake, Chairman, H. K. Bush-Brown, Capt. W. I. Chambers, U. S. N., E. H. Droop, Miss Mary A. Cryder, Miss Dick Root, Mrs. L. MacD. Sleeth, Col. J. F. Reynolds Landis, J. Marion Shull, Secretary, and Dr. Erwin F. Smith, Treasurer, was appointed to devise ways and means to carry out the plans.
The committee began a systematic propaganda to create interest throughout the United States. The Governors of all the states were communicated with and the majority of them expressed hearty approval. Through newspapers, magazines and music publications, wide publicity was secured. The National Music Dealers Association took up the question and approved the project. Many local organizations throughout the United States have had the matter presented to them and have also approved it.
Under the direction of the committee several lectures have been given in Washington by William Gorham Rice, an eminent writer and authority on the subject, and the entire board of directors of the Federation of Women's Clubs was the guest of the Arts Club at a dinner last October, at which the plan was proposed and discussed A special committee of the Federation was appointed, which has since investigated the plans of the Arts Club thoroughly and has communicated with most of the state organizations of Women's Clubs and the proposal has been enthusiastically approved.
Immediate steps will be taken to make the necessary legal incorporation and the active work of preparing for the erection of memorial will be carried on vigorously,
Paul Cret, the eminent architect who designed the Pan American Building, has made the preliminary sketches for the tower and the finished design, which will soon be completed, is expected to be the most distinctive in the United States and one of the finest in the world. It will rise to a height exceeding three hundred feet and in its upper chambers will carry fifty-four bells with a combined weight of 154,000 pounds. These bells will be tuned chromatically so that music can be played upon them in any key and practically any composition that can be rendered upon the piano or organ can be played on the bells. Recent developments have perfected the tuning of bells scientifically to the fineness of a single vibration, so that the bells will be more harmoniously tuned than the strings of a piano.
Bell makers say the National Peace Carillon will be one of the wonders of the world; that the music will have a grandeur never before heard and that music lovers from all over the world will travel to Washington to hear the Carillon concerts just as in Europe it is common for thirty or forty thousand people to travel to Mechlin to hear Joseph Denyn, the world's greatest carillonneur, play upon his beloved bells in Saint Rombold's tower.
The site for the Carillon was selected by John Taylor of the great bell founders' firm of Taylor Bros., Loughborough, England, who recently visited Washington for that purpose. Preliminary steps to obtain the site have already been taken. It will require two years to make and tune the bells and it is hoped that the plan may be carried to completion as quickly as the actual work can be done.

1921 "National Peace Carillon," by J. Marion Shull, The Triangle of Mu Phi Epison 15(4):346-349 (August 1921)

1922 "Washington to Have a National Peace Carillon," Harrisburg Telegraph, July 27, 1922, Page 16.

1922 "National Carillon Ass'n Incorporated," The Public Ledger (Maysville, Kentucky), August 24, 1922, Page 3.
The National Carillon Association is now incorporated and is composed of twelve members, according to Mrs. Robert J. Burdette, chairman.
The Federation Carillon committee, having served its purpose, was dissolved at the Chatauqua meeting.

1922 "Report of the Carillon Committee," Biennial of the General Federation of Women's Clubs 16:127-128 (June 1922)

1923 The National Peace Carillon, by the National Carillon Association | also here |

1923 "National Carillon Association," Washington Evening Star, January 21, 1923, Page 21.
A certificate of incorporation of the National Carillon Association was filed with the recorder of deeds the past week. This organization is the successor to the carillon committee of the Arts Club, which has hitherto promoted the work. The incorporators are: Mrs. Thomas G. Winter, Mrs. Robert J. Burdette, William B. Westlake, J. Marion Shull, Dr. Erwin F. Smith, H. K. Bush-Brown, Walter Damrosch, Mrs. Marx E. Oberndorfer, Mrs. L. McD. Sleeth, Capt. W. I. Chambers, Gilbert Grosvenor and Mrs. J. W. Frizzell.
The object of the association is to erect in Washington a memorial bell tower containing a carillon, or set of chromatic bells, in “commemoration of the sacrifices and ideals of America and her allies in the world war,” and to provide instruction in carillon playing in order that trained and competent musicians may be available for the purposes of the association.

1924 "Capital is Selected as Site for National Peace Carillon," Washington Sunday Star, April 13, 1924, Page 18.
360-Foot Tower on 60-Foot Base, Containing 54 Bells, with 270 Tones, to be Built at Cost of $3,000,000.

1924 "Will Erect Bell Peace Memorial," The Buffalo Commercial, April 16, 1924, Page 2.

1925 "Carillon Heads Named for Year," Washington Evening Star, February 10, 1925, Page 16.
Association Elects Officers to Push Plans for Memorial Bell Tower. The site for the tower has not been decided upon.

1930 "National Carillon Association," Advocate of Peace through Justice 92(1):24 (February 1930) | also here |
The National Carillon Association, of Washington, D.C., proposed for the capital of our nation a "National Peace Carillon," a carillon of fifty-four bells of the highest musical quality, in a tower soaring 350 feet, "to out-rival the famous towers of all the world." The fifty-four bells, it is proposed, will form a complete musical instrument of four and one-half octaves, capable of yielding the most wonderful effect of feeling and harmony ever produced by bells. It has been suggested that such a structure would form a happy part of the international building proposed as the headquarters for the American Peace Society.

1953 Unity in Diversity: The History of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, by Mildred White Wells
Pages 293-294: In 1921 the Washington Arts Club asked the cooperation of the General Federation in the building of a carillon, with fifty-four bells, to be called "A Musical Peace Tower." Part of the building was to serve as GFWC headquarters. The project was seriously considered for a time, but before it could be developed, the opportunity to purchase the present headquarters building arose and was accepted.
Page 300-301: The General Federation took possession of the building on April 1, 1922, but there was still the problem of meeting the additional payments on the three-year mortgage of $50,000, and the question whether the delegates to the 1922 convention would approve the purchase and supply the money.
Formal opening of Headquarters was held on January 8, 1923, preceding the annual meeting of the GFWC Board of Directors, but it has been a busy executive office since its occupancy the previous April.

1996 "A National Peace Carillon for Washington, D.C.," by Heather Ewing, Bulletin of the Guild of Carilloneurs of North America 45 (1996)

2014 Singing Bronze: A History of Carillon Music, by Luc Rombouts | pdf of book |
Page 210-211: National Peace Carillon

2015 "The Heritage of the Future: Historical Keyboards, Technology, and Modernism," by Tiffany Kwan Ng, Doctoral Dissertation in Music, UC Berkeley
Page 120: An unbuilt carillon will provide another motif; since 1919, every American carillon has been built in the imposing shadow of a carillon proposed as a memorial and monument to peace, to be built in Washington, D.C. from World War I shrapnel collected from around the world.

Washington Peace Pavilion renderings by Paul P. Cret, F.A.I.A., Philadelphia Architects and Buildings