It is Bell Week, gentlemen, and that means there is only one thing on our mind. It is that massive, 300- pound, beautiful beast of a bell and, as we edge ever closer to this Saturday, we must all focus on making sure the bell returns to its rightful position.
It has been a long and empty year walking through the Allen Center. We have all felt the pain of looking to see the void left behind, thanks to our rivals in the south, and it fills each and every person on this campus with a deep hunger to bring it back. The Bell is ready to come home. I can attest this, from personal experience, that the Monon Bell is sad. It has been tucked away in a corner for far too long, and it is ready to return from an extended, lonely southern vacation.
It is only possible to bring back the Bell if every single person on this campus puts their heart into this goal. It must be a collective us. This rivalry is not just a football thing. It is not only a student or alumni thing. It is not a chance for us to hate on DePauw, but instead, an opportunity for us to show our love for Wabash. This weekend is not an excuse for excessive drinking and partying centered around a simple football game. This upcoming Saturday is much more. The Monon Game is one of the most defining measures of Wabash College’s unity. It brings every student, alumnus, professor, dean, faculty member, coach, and member of the Wabash family together. This game is our tradition based on great love for our college.
However, the only way that bell is ever going to return to Wabash is if we come together as One. Because, in the end, the Bell is just the symbol of something far more significant. It’s the symbol of what makes Wabash the most beloved school. It is the symbol of what makes Wabash, Wabash.
So, this weekend, I urge everyone to look past our differences. We lost the bell last year because we forgot who we were. We are not just our race, or our religion, or our political position. We are Wabash. We became too comfortable just going through the motions and not truly believing in our oneness. Last fall, we forgot who we were, we lost our most celebrated tradition, unity. While losing our beloved bell was heartbreaking, it was a well-needed kick in the butt. It reminded us that we need to do better, every single one of us. After a full calendar year of hard work and dedication, it is time for us to come together and bring it back home. Unify brothers; It is our tradition.