Ball State University

Shafer Tower at Ball State University

Links to Carillon Inventories
GCNA	Tower Bells	Bok Tower Gardens

Estel V. Marsh and his wife Millie donated $80,000 for a carillon in 1980. The idea of a campus tower and carillon was adopted as part of the university's 1997 Above and Beyond campaign.

Thirty-five other donors provided from $10,000 to $25,000 each for the 48 Paccard bells, which were installed in a new bell tower in 2001 and dedicated on April 27, 2002 with a recital given by Margo Halstead and John Courter

References
1980 "University Singers, band get grant," Ball State University Daily News, December 5, 1980, Page 1.
A $207,000 grant from Estel Marsh, former board member of the Ball State Foundation, is hoped to bring better music to the Ball State campus, said Robert Linson, vice president for university relations.
Plans designated by Marsh state $50,000 is to be used for new instruments for the marching band, $25,000 for new equipment for the University Singers, $80,000 for a new Carillon and $52,000 for a project not yet announced.
The latest Marsh grant makes him the second highest individual contributor to Ball State. His gifts to the university over a 12-year period total $518,000.
Linson said the Carillon, a musical chime set that rings out every fifteen minutes, will probably be placed atop one of the taller buildings in the center of campus. A committee has been appointed to decide where the Carillon should be placed.

1982 "Antiquated, broken timer silences North Quad chimes," Ball State University Daily News, January 25, 1982, Page 1.
In 1980, Estel Marsh, former chairman of the board and president of Marsh Supermarkets, gave the university $75,000 to buy a carillon. A university chime committee was formed in late 1980 to look into replacing the silent chimes.
Marsh said he felt the chime committee would know more about chimes than he would. He did say, however, that he was not aware the university had chimes in the tower of North Quad or that they were broken.
The chimes committee was headed by Brian Minor, former associate professor of musical performance. Minor visited some foundries in England this summer pursuing the matter of purchasing a carillon before he died in August 1981. The committee has not met since then, and Linson has been collecting more information to give the committee.
According to Wakeland, the committee is trying to evaluate pros and cons of buying electronic equipment or bells. Wakeland said the decision comes down to putting money into bells which will last 100 years or electronic equipment which will break down. The electronic equipment requires an electronic speaker system.
He said the committee is not interested in just electronic loud speakers but will meet again soon. According to Linson, bells cost a great deal more than an electronic carillon, which he said would cost about $75,000. Carillon bells cost at least $250,000. This figure includes the cost of a tower, Linson said. According to Linson, a chimes set consisting of that many bells would weigh several tons and no building on campus is strong enough to hold that much weight. For this reason, he said, a tower would have to be built. An electronic carillon would also require a tower, thereby boosting the cost to about $75,000.

1989 "Estel Marsh died in Singapore, parents began grocery chain," The Star Press, September 15, 1989, Page 55

2000 "University to break ground for tower construction," The Star Press, June 16, 2000, Page 5.

2000 "Art professor looks forward to playing some towering tunes," The Star Press, July 12, 2000, Page 9.

2001 "Work stops on campus bell tower," The Star Press, February 7, 2001, Page 1.
Cement grout did not meet test specifications.

2001 "Bells ready to install," The Star Press, November 28, 2001, Page 1 | Part 2 |
Thirty-five donors provided from $10,000 to $25,000 each for the bells.
Millie Marsh, whose gift of $80,000 in 1980 was the first made toward adding bells on campus.

2002 "Ball state looking to pump up the volume on new carillon bells," The Star Press, January 6, 2002, Page 12.
The bells are expected to grow louder as they're broken in.

2002 "First carillon concert set for Shaffer Tower dedication ceremony," The Star Press, April 20, 2002, Page 1B | Part 2 |

2002 "Tower's bells ringing in the rain," The Star Press, April 28, 2002, Page B1 | Part 2 |

2014 Mildred “Millie” Pequignot Marsh (30 March 1919 - 20 Oct 2014) grave

2017 Empowering A Legacy: The Shafer Biography by Muncie Power Products
In 1997, the idea of a campus tower and carillon was adopted as part of the Above and Beyond campaign.

Shafer Tower