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30-535: The chime originally had nine bells, donated by Jennie McGraw . They first rang at the University's opening ceremonies on October 7, 1868, and have since marked the hours and been used for chiming concerts. The tower, long called "the Library Tower", was renamed in 1961. Whether the new name was intended to honor Jennie McGraw or her father, trustee John McGraw , was not specified at the time. The bells are played by

60-430: A group of "chimesmasters." About ten chimesmasters play three concerts daily during the school year and a reduced schedule during the summer and semester breaks, making it one of the largest and most frequently played chimes in the world. The chimes are sometimes mistakenly called a " carillon " which is incorrect as a true carillon has at least 23 bells, and a different playing console. Many styles of music are played on

90-459: A large Santa Claus hat was discovered on top of the tower. On April 11, 2022, the tower resumed allowing public attendance of its chimes concerts after a near two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic . Beginning in fall of 2023, McGraw Tower underwent a major renovation, which saw scaffolding placed up the entire height of the tower. On October 20, 2023, a pumpkin was once again placed atop

120-416: A practice run the crane basket was blown by a gust of wind and knocked the pumpkin off). Who placed the pumpkin atop the tower, why they did so, and how remain unknown. Widely considered the greatest prank in the university's history, the pumpkin prompted national media coverage, the creation of a live webcam, its own daily feature in one of the school papers, and at least two scientific inquiries into whether

150-643: A self-made industrialist and millionaire. She was born in a house near the Southworth estate of her maternal grandfather, John Southworth, who was a farmer and millionaire. Rhoda McGraw died of tuberculosis in 1847. By the time she was 10 years old, John father moved them from Dryden. He married a second time to Nancy Amelia Southworth, Rhoda's sister, and the family lived in Westchester County, New York . Nancy died of tuberculosis, like her sister, in 1857. The McGraws moved to Ithaca in 1862 and John married

180-466: A significant bequest to Cornell University. Her will designated monies for a library, McGraw Hall, a student health center, and additional monies to be used as the university wished. She was married when she was 39 to professor and librarian Willard Fiske , but lived less than two years following the wedding ceremony. McGraw was born September 14, 1840, in Dryden, New York to Rhoda Southworth and John McGraw

210-461: A student hospital, and the remainder of her property to the University, estimated at at least $ 1 million ($ 31.6 million), for whatever use it saw fit. The University's charter limited its property holdings to $ 3 million, but a New York State law on May 12, 1882, removed the limit. Another state law disallowed more than one half of a woman's estate go to charity if she was married when she died. Fiske became quite angry when he learned of

240-582: A widow, Jane P. Turner Bates. McGraw was educated at Canandaigua, New York , and, at about 18 years of age, at Pelham Priory in New Rochelle in Westchester County. She studied standard subjects as well as French composition, Latin, "social science", singing, and music. She could dance and play the spinet. Jane McGraw co-founded the Ladies' Union Benevolent Society. Jennie helped run a home for women over

270-541: Is also home to an office, museum, practice room, and a restored 1875 Seth Thomas clock with a 14-foot pendulum . Visitors can still see the clockworks and pendulum , but the clock was linked to the Global Positioning System in 1999. 42°26′51″N 76°29′06″W  /  42.44757°N 76.48505°W  / 42.44757; -76.48505 Jennie McGraw Jennie McGraw , also Jennie McGraw Fiske (September 14, 1840 – September 30, 1881),

300-434: Is an ability to read music and the energy to climb the 161 steps to operate the playing clavier (there is no mechanical assistance). The first stage of competition requires that compets learn the three traditional Cornell pieces (the "Jenny McGraw Rag," the "Alma Mater," and the "Cornell Evening Song"). Compets play a practice instrument, where the levers strike tuned bars with hammers (like a xylophone ), allowing them to learn

330-701: The History of Cornell University and Ithaca Times state that McGraw inherited most of her father's estate. McGraw inherited a trust of $ 500,000. When her grandfather Southworth died, she also inherited the money that would have otherwise have gone to her mother. She hired architect William Henry Miller to build a mansion in 1878. Two years later, construction began on what had been Cornell University land between Fall River and University Avenue in Ithaca. The house had Gothic architectural details like bartizans , turrets , and donjon keeps . Like her father, who did not have

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360-428: The "Cornell Changes" (affectionately known as the "Jennie McGraw Rag"). The chimesmasters' goal is to play its 549 notes as quickly as possible. The Cornell "Alma Mater" is played at the midday concert, and the "Cornell Evening Song" at the end of the evening concert. Each spring semester potential chimesmasters, "compets", undergo a rigorous ten-week competition to become a chimesmaster. The only requirement to compete

390-494: The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fiske. On October 8, 1997, passersby noticed a pumpkin on top of the tower's spire. Because of the danger involved in retrieving it, administrators decided to leave it until it rotted and fell off. However, the pumpkin rapidly dried out in the cold air and remained on the tower until it was removed with a crane on March 13, 1998 (it was planned that Provost Don M. Randel would remove it, but in

420-541: The University's opening ceremony on October 7, 1868. They were first installed in a temporary wooden structure and later in the McGraw Tower. Every morning concert includes a playing of the "Jennie McGraw Rag", also known as "Cornell Changes". Her father discouraged suitors. Willard Fiske met Jennie in 1869 and secretly wrote love poems about her. John McGraw died on May 4, 1877. The History of Dryden states that her step-mother received $ 2 million from his will, while

450-444: The age of 65. One wing of McGraw House continues the mission to provide housing for women who cannot afford to provide their own house. When she was 22, McGraw made her debut into Ithaca's society. She was sent on her first Grand Tour of Europe in 1859 by her father, who desired that she receive a classical education. She went on two other major trips to Europe. She gave Cornell its set of chimes which have been rung daily since

480-501: The bells, including classical and modern pieces by a range of composers, including Beethoven , The Beatles , Franz Schubert , and Scott Joplin . Commonly played pieces include Edward Elgar 's Pomp and Circumstance Marches and the theme from The Muppet Show , as well as a multitude of original compositions. The chimes' music library contains over two-thousand specially arranged pieces and original compositions—both solos and duets . Every morning concert, since 1869, has begun with

510-538: The benefit of a good education, McGraw believed in the importance of the creating a "world-class university library". She was the founder of the Southworth Library in Dryden. It opened in an existing building in 1884 and in a building constructed for the library in 1894. She took her last trip to Europe in 1878, in the hopes that the more temperate climate there would help her recuperate from tuberculosis ; since she

540-548: The campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York . The tower was known as Library Tower when it was first built but was renamed in 1961 in honor of either John McGraw, one of Cornell's original donors, or his daughter Jennie McGraw , the philanthropist in whose honor the tower and its adjacent library were originally commissioned by Henry W. Sage . McGraw Tower has housed the Cornell Chimes , which Jennie McGraw donated to

570-478: The estate. When he died in 1904, Fiske left most of his estate, including his personal library, to the university. Today, McGraw's name graces numerous places and things on Cornell's campus. The central tower in McGraw Hall was constructed in order to house the chimes donated by McGraw; they now reside in McGraw Tower next to Uris Library. McGraw Tower McGraw Tower is a masonry clock tower located on

600-409: The full responsibilities of a chimesmaster. The Cornell Chimes welcome visitors to all concerts. In 1873, the chimes were moved from a ground-level playing stand to McGraw Hall. In 1891, they were moved to their permanent home atop McGraw Tower, designed by Cornell alumnus William Henry Miller . The 173-foot (53 m) tower is Cornell's most prominent landmark and is adjacent to Uris Library. The tower

630-450: The instrument without the whole campus listening. To advance to the next round of competition, compets must demonstrate their mastery of the three songs, in addition to sight reading a piece. This audition is played on the main chimes console, but compets only press the dampers halfway, and therefore the chimes remain silent. Those who pass the silent audition move on to coached concerts, and then, finally, judged concerts, where compets take on

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660-560: The law and that it had not been mentioned to him by the executor of the estate. Fiske launched a legal assault to reacquire the money that the university could not accept, known as The Great Will Case . The case went to the Supreme Court of the United States . Once the case was settled, Fiske received about $ 500,000, the McGraws received about $ 1 million, and the university had the rest of

690-458: The object on top of the tower was, in fact, a pumpkin; morphological , chemical , and DNA analysis confirmed that it was. It also inspired a unique version of the Cornell alma mater . It was removed on March 13, 1998. In April 2005, a disco ball was attached to the top of the tower. A crane was hired to remove the offending orb, costing the university about $ 20,000. On December 1, 2019,

720-432: The university in 1868, since its construction finished in 1891. The bells were moved from McGraw Hall, a separate building, which had not been designed to support the weight of the bells. The Cornell Chimes were the first chimes housed and rung on an American college campus. The chimes play music three times each day during the school year. They also ring every fifteen minutes between 7:00 A.M. and 11:00 P.M. McGraw Tower

750-468: Was a millionaire philanthropist to Cornell University along with her parents John McGraw and Rhoda Charlotte Southworth. In 1868, she gave the university a set of chimes . The first tune played at any Cornell Chimes concert is the "Cornell Changes", also known as the "Jennie McGraw Rag". They continue to be played every day from McGraw Tower on the campus. She was also the founder of the Southworth Library in Dryden, New York . Upon her death, she left

780-559: Was a young girl, McGraw had "weak lungs". During her trip, she purchased art and furniture for the new mansion, but her health deteriorated significantly during her travels. She met up with a friend, Willard Fiske , in Venice, whom she married in Berlin in August 1880 or on July 14, 1880. Fiske was a professor of north European languages and a librarian. He had been in love with her for some time, but

810-618: Was designed as part of Uris Library by William Henry Miller , and construction finished in 1891. The construction of the library and tower, then called the University Library, was funded by Henry W. Sage to be built in the memory of Jennie McGraw. Sage believed McGraw had intended to donate her estate to the construction of a library on Cornell's campus upon her death; however, this claim was contested by her husband, Cornell professor and librarian Willard Fiske . The university took Sage's view, leading to years of litigation, but eventually,

840-526: Was later purchased by Edward and Clarence Wyckoff for the Chi Psi fraternity. It was destroyed in 1906 during a fire that also took the lives of seven people. In her will, she gave away $ 300,000 (equivalent to $ 9.5 million in 2023 ) to her husband, $ 550,000 ($ 15.8 million) to her brother Joseph and his children, $ 200,000 ($ 6.3 million) to Cornell for a library, $ 50,000 ($ 1.6 million) for construction of McGraw Hall, $ 40,000 ($ 1.3 million) for

870-584: Was reticent to express his feelings for fear of being considered a fortune hunter. Before the wedding ceremony, Fiske signed away any rights to her property. After they were married, the couple traveled up the Nile in November 1880 and McGraw became seriously ill. They went to France in June 1881, where she was told that she only had a few weeks to live. The Fiskes returned to the United States in early September. Quite ill, she

900-560: Was taken to Fiske's house, but was driven by her mansion and she was pleased to see how it had been completed. She died on September 30, 1881 and was interred in the Memorial Antechapel of the Sage Chapel at Cornell University. At her death, she had $ 2 million in property and $ 250,000 remaining in her trust. Ten years after her death, Willard Fisk sold the mansion and had the furniture and household furnishings auctioned. The house

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