The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SUPERSTITION

IN MY GRADE SCHOOL, OUR LADY QUEEN OF APOSTLES, THE STUDENTS BELIEVE
THAT A BELL RUNG BY THE SISTER SUPERIOR INDICATED THAT THE SCHOOL WA SAFE
TO ENTER. THE BELL WAS RUNG AT FIRE DRILLS, AFTER RECESS AND AT MANY OTHER
TIMES. STUDENTS DID NOT HEED THE BELL IF IT WAS NOT RUNG BY THE SISTER
SUPERIOR. THE BELIEF PERSISTED EVEN TO MY BROTHER'S TIME AND THOUGH A
DIFFERENT BELL IS RUNG THESE DAYS BY A DIFFERENT SISTER SUPERIOR, IT IS
NEVERTHELESS THE SAME BELIEF. STUDENTS ONLY LISTEN T A CERTAIN BELL RUNG
BY A CERTAIN PERSON. SOME STUDENTS WENT SO FAR AS TO CLAIM THAT THE BELL
HAD MIRACULOUS POWERS IN AND OF ITSELF. THEY BELIEVED THAT THE MERE PRESENCE
OF THE BELL CONNOTED SAFETY AND THAT IT COULD BE USED TO WARD OFF EVIL. HENCE,
IT WAS SAID THAT THE SISTER SUPERIOR HAD LIVED FOR ONE HUNDRED YEARS MERELY
BECAUSE SHE KEPT THAT BELL WITH HER ALL HER LIFE. SOME EVEN SAID THAT IT WAS
ON THE DAY THAT SHE DIED, THAT THE BELL WAS FOUND MISSING. IT IS BELIEVED THAT
SHE TOOK THE BELL WITH HER TO THE GRAVE TO PROTECT HERSELF FROM THE DEVIL AND
TO TRAVEL SAFELY TO THE OTHER WORLD WHERE SHE WOULD EMBRACE ETERNAL LIFE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK

Date learned: 00-00-1979