Allen Fieldhouse tries hard, so do Danforth Chapel, the flags atop Fraser Hall and the Jayhawk statue the one that looks like a prehistoric cross between a bat and toucan in front of Strong Hall.

But when it comes to picking Kansas University’s most lasting image, the World War II Memorial Campanile gets the nod.

Built in 1950, the campanile houses a 53-bell carillon atop a 120-foot tall tower of native limestone.

It is without a doubt the university’s most distinguished landmark.

Built in 1950 to honor the 276 KU students and faculty killed during World War II, the campanile houses a 53-bell carillon atop a 120-foot tall tower of native limestone.

The names of those who lost their lives are engraved on the east and west walls of the Memorial Room at the base of the tower. Panels on the room’s south doors portray the emotions and tragedies of war while those on the north doors depict the history of Kansas and the university’s quest for a better future.

“It’s a unique memorial, I think a very beautiful one,” said Phyllis Jones, a former manager of the World War II Memorial Assn., a division of the KU Alumni Association.

“Someone asked me what it meant to me once. It’s hard to say in one sentence, other than it’s a very visual memorial to those KU students who lost their lives in World War II.”

Jones was one of many people involved with the tower’s construction in the late 1940s and early ’50s. She attended a Nov. 11, 2001, ceremony, marking the 50th anniversary of the campanile’s dedication.

Tribute roots

After World War II ended, students in the military returned to KU to continue their education and their lives.

But many wanted to pay tribute to the students and faculty who didn’t return from the war. So a committee began meeting in February 1945 to determine an appropriate memorial.

Many ideas were presented, including an outdoor theater, swimming pool, dormitory, field house, addition to the union and scholarships.

“Initially, there was a lot of question about what ought to be done,” said Dick Wintermote, a 1951 KU graduate who served on the campanile’s student steering committee. “The campanile wasn’t popular to begin with. It gained a lot of popularity over time.

“Some people think about usability and benefit to people, and a carillon/campanile didn’t have the same type of use for people, but of course it was such a magnificent structure. It’s a centerpiece of the university.”

Later that year, the committee decided to pursue the campanile and Memorial Drive. A nonprofit foundation was established for raising money.

Led by the Alumni Association Executive Secretary Fred Ellsworth and Kansas Supreme Court Justice Hugo Wedell, the group raised $343,000 during the next four years. The trustees also included legendary KU coach Phog Allen and Kansas City developer J.C. Nichols.

Ground was broken on the structure in January 1950, and the campanile was completed 11 months later. The bells, cast by the John Taylor & Company foundry in Loughborough, England, arrived May 1, 1951, and were installed for the dedication later that month.

‘Great instrument’

Today, the 53 bells in the campanile serve as a practice and performance instrument for about 15 students.

The bells were removed in 1992 for renovation. They were installed again in 1996.

Elizabeth Berghout, hired in fall 2000, is only KU’s third carillonneur. Ronald Barnes served from 1951 to 1963; Albert Gerken from 1963 until 2000.

Berghout said the low turnover is a testament to the carillon’s quality.

“This is a great instrument,” she said. “It’s in great shape. It’s easy to play.”

And the fact that the instrument is a memorial makes it even more special, she said.

“It’s really exciting to me because it is something that continues on,” she said. “After Sept. 11 happened, I gave an hour program on Sept. 14. It started to hit home, the meaning.

“It’s adding beauty to the world, which seems appropriate after war and death.”

Over time, the campanile became a part of KU and campus lore.

Now, students don’t pass through the tower until their commencement day for fear they won’t graduate.

Graduates of 1950 were the first to walk through the campanile on the way to Memorial Stadium for graduation. The building wasn’t complete, and students walked over boards to avoid the mud.

“There was no flooring, and you kind of worried whether you’d get through without breaking a leg,” class member Todd Seymour said.

Seymour served in the Army during the war before returning to KU. The tower’s meaning has grown over the years, he said.

“I lost some friends in World War II,” he said. “I never stopped in those days to dwell on things.”