Show J UAL k I J Ic I I This year there will be many old year Americans ring ring- ringing ringing ing bens bells on July Fourth who will grow up believing that this was always the custom Actually it was from the first Independence Day till about a century ago when the sounds of peace were drowned out by bythe bythe the noise of war and th the day became celebrated only with firecrackers and rockets Writing a book called The Seasons of America Past a afew afew few years ago the author un- un unearthed unearthed the story about In- In Independence Independence dependence Day ringing bell and he mentioned that it se seems ms with firecrackers disappearing disappearing we might well revive that early American custom The idea quickly took hold and supported by organizations and churches and newspapers it reached millions of people In 1963 it was passed in Wash Wash- Washington Washington ington as Senate Concurrent Resolution 25 requesting that all American bells public and private chul church h school fire college and town bells ring simultaneously at 2 pm East East- Eastern Eastern ern Daylight Time on July Fourth Some places now ring bells for two minutes others for four minutes along with many radio TV programs and even public loudspeakers in parks tracks race ball games and on ships at sea For the past three years the Bells on Independence Day project has been included in Governors Fourth of July Proclamations and this holiday holi- holi holiday day which was losing much of its solemn significance was re- re rekindled rekindled kindled into a day of bells ringing out Americas America's birthday just as it was in the beginning It has been said that a thing must be done four times be- be before before fore it becomes a habit so this fourth year for the revival of the early American custom of ringing bells on Independence Day is a most important one Perhaps there will be no great bells within reach of your hearing perhaps you will seem to be the only one ringing a small but you will know that all over the nation in every state millions of bells will be ringing out the mes- mes message message sage of democracy and liberty A safer and less noisy pas pas- pastime pastime time for children let them ring bells on this da day pro pro- proclaiming proclaiming claiming it Americas America's Birthday And wherever we are let us remember this greatest o American days with joy and reverence Bells on Day Eric Sloane Warren Conne Connecticut |