After almost 25 years of silence, Otago Boys' High School's historic bell was rung yesterday to mark the end of the school year.
Design graphics and metalwork teacher Richard Dougherty said that until yesterday the almost 130-year-old bell had not tolled since 1990, when it was rung for historical reasons to check its pitch - which, for the record, was F sharp above middle C.
Housed in the bell tower in the school's main building, which had been built in 1885, the bell was rung up to 20 times a day by a pupil given the role of ''campanologist'' (from campana, the Latin for bell) until it was replaced by an electronic bell in 1983, Mr Dougherty said.
It was believed to have been used for ''official business'' last in 1988, to mark the school's 125th annniversary, but was decommissioned because of naughty pupils in the late 1980s.
''The students, as a bit of a rite of passage, would yank on the bell and then run off.''
After ringing the bell in the dusty bell tower yesterday to mark the end of the school year, Mr Dougherty, who was perspiring and had some rope burn, said it was tougher than he anticipated.
''It was harder work than I expected. To make it ring, I had to actually physically fight it.''
The intention was to continue to use the bell on special occasions, such as marking the start and finish of the school year and during Anzac Day commemorations.
Ringing the bell connected the school with its 150 year-old history, he said.
