The Bell Tower

This school bell once rang over a one room school in Wayne County, Illinois. During the 1991 state convention of Illinois retired teachers, the Wayne County unit of retired teachers graciously gave it to the 28,000 member IRTA. It was gratefully accepted on October 7, 1991. The school bell memorializes one footprint in the sands of time of the illustrious history of education in Illinois. The one room school once served the citizens of Illinois with pride and dignity in over 10,000 communities. School consolidations in the 1940's caused the closing of the one room school, but its impact on the citizens will live for decades. This bell will ring out in the memory of Illinois Educators for generations.