Appalachian Magazine 2019

Watauga Academy Bell — a symbol of resilience In September 2018, Appalachian celebrated Founders Day — a tribute to founding brothers B.B. and D.D. Dougherty and to D.D.’s wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty. In 1899, they opened a small academy that quickly evolved into a school preparing quality teachers and, ultimately, into the university it is today.

This bell hung in the steeple of Watauga Academy, the first building of the school. Made of cast steel sometime between 1899 and 1902, the bell withstood a 1946 fire that consumed the building.

The bell was put to use in occasional concerts as a percussion instrument but remained in relative obscurity for more than 50 years. In September 2018, the bell was installed in Appalachian’s B.B. Dougherty Administration Building.

As we are building for our future — the theme of this magazine — this bell reminds us of our history, our roots as a teaching academy and our collective resilience in the face of challenge.

— From research by University Archives and Dr. Gary R. Boye, music librarian 2 • 2019