St. Paul’s School

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Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul at St. Paul's School

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Mahitabel "Mabel" Houghton, the widow of St. Paul's School graduate Arthur Amory Houghton, Class of 1885, and her son Arthur Amory Houghton, Jr., Class of 1925, donated the Houghton Memorial Carillon to the school in his memory.  The 23 bells were cast by the Gillett and Johnston Bell Foundry in Croydon, England and installed in the Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul.  The carillon was dedicated on October 22, 1933 by Kamiel Lefevere.

In 1949, Houghton Jr. was awarded permanent, honorary membership at The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America for funding the Houghton Memorial Carillon.


References
1928 Arthur Amory Houghton (20 Dec 1866 - 20 Apr 1928) grave

1933 "A Gift of Bells," Alumni Horae 13(1):7 (May 1933)
Page 7:  At the January meeting of the Trustees, the Rector announced that Mrs. Arthur J- A. Houghton and her son, Arthur Amory Houghton, '25, of Corning, New York, have offered a peal of fifteen or more bells to the School. The bells will be cast by Gillett & Johnston, of Croydon, England, and will be sent to the School for installation in mid-summer.
This generous gift is in memory of a beloved alumnus, Arthur Amory Houghton, '85, formerly of Corning.
The great bell, or tenor, will carry the inscription:
SAVIOUR SOURCE OF EVERY BLESSING
TUNE MY HEART TO GRATEFUL LAYS
IN MEMORY OF
ARTHUR AMORY HOUGHTON
1866-1928
On the other bells will be cast words from the School Anthem, "Oh Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem."

1933 "Phila. Gifts to School," The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 4, 1933, Page 22.
A carillon and clock for the chapel were donated in memory of Arthur H. Houghton by his wife and son, Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., both of Philadelphia.

1933 "Dedication of the Bells," Alumni Horae 13(3):84 (December 1933)
Page 84:  At the close of the Morning Service on Sunday, October 22nd, a Service of Dedication for the 23 Bells present ed to th e School by Mrs. Arthur Amory Houghton, her son, Arthur Amory Houghton, Jr. ('20-'25) and a sister, Mrs. Alan G. Rinehart, in memory of Arthur Amory Houghton ('82-85) was held.
Preceded by the Choir, Bishop Dallas and the Clergy gathered in the Ante-Chapel, the Rector remaining standing in the Rector's Stall. Reeve Schley, President of the Board of Trustees, on behalf of the donors, made formal presentation of the Bells to the School, giving a brief description of the carillon. Eight of the Bells have cast on them the words of the School Anthem, and the large 23rd Bell, or tenor, has cast on it the words of the Hymn used on the Last Night of the School, viz:
Saviour Source of Every Blessing
Tune my Heart to Grateful Lays
In Memory of
Arthur Amory Houghton
1866-1928
Bishop Dallas then dedicated the Bells, using the following words:
Ring, bells to remember Arthur Amory Houghton
Ring, merry bells - in the name of the Child -
Ring, bells - He unlocks the grave - there are no dead
Ring, bells, He ascends His Throne -
Ring, holy bells, the bread is broken and the wine is red
Ring His glory far and out -
Ring, bells, and bless us all -
Ring, bells, to guard all boys and homes and teachers and those who labor with their hands -
Ring, bells - to watch the hours
Ring, bells, and bless the man and maid
Toll, bells - a good man goes to rest -
Ring, bells, ring - in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.
At the conclusion of the Service, the congregation gathered out-of-doors and listened to a recital by Kamiel Lefevers.
The pleasant custom has been inaugurated of having the Bells play on the occasion of the wedding of any alumnus.

1938 Mahitabel “Mabel” Hollister Houghton (5 Feb 1867 - 13 Feb 1938) grave

1948 "St. Paul's School Carillon Described," Concord Monitor, December 27, 1948, Page 1.

1963 "Local Bells Have Stories of Their Own in Concord History," Concord Monitor, July 2, 1963, Page 6.
The English Carillon at St. Paul's School was the gift of Mrs. Arthur Emery Houghton and Arthur Houghton, Jr., Class of 1935, in memory of Arthur E. Houghton Sr., of the class of 1885.

1981 "Ring, Bells, Ring," by Brian Regan, Alumni Horae 61(3):120-125 (Autumn 1981)


© 2023 Morris A. Pierce