Carillon

This is Beaumont Tower on the Campus of Michigan State University. If you climb some 70plus steps up you come to the Carillon Room and a big deal Carillon.  Years back the fellow who taught carillon playing gave a regular recital and there was something somewhat magical about it - to think of someone way up there hammering away on what is a carillon keyboard and ringing these bells.

The carillon is in the center of what is the original campus area - right across from the Student Union, next to the President's residence and across from the Library.  There are a number of walkways up to it and it is prominent in both view and solitude.  It had never had 4 finials - just three and no one knows if in the 80 years since it was built if one fell or was never put in place as there are only 3 up there now - the joke being one fell off when a football player actually graduated but that is being disloyal.

Tradition has it that if you kiss your sweetheart in the shadow of the tower, you will marry. Its a nice thought - traditions like that.  It is "guarded" by the Tower Guard - a woman's honorary for outstanding persons picked in their 2nd year for all the big deal attributes....enough of the tour guide stuff.  I was listening to http://www.wkar.org/ the university radio station and they were talking about the carillon concert Saturday night upcoming. 40+ years sprung back in a second....like Hermione's magic watch in Harry Potter - two places at one time.

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