Cue the Bell!
Courtesy photo Wallace Jr./Sr. High School athletic director Bruce Bailey leads the student body in the ringing of the Miners’ new Victory Bell.
WALLACE — GOOOOOOOOOOOO MINERS!
A roar from students is immediately followed by a trio of clangs from a familiar bell, signifying a Wallace Miner victory.
Wallace Jr./Sr. High School has brought back the tradition of the Victory Bell this year — something that has been a terrific addition to the school and unifying experience for the students.
This particular ringing celebrated the Lady Miners and their victory over their Silver Valley rivals, the Mullan Tigers, last week and will be a staple of the school moving forward.
The tradition of the Victory Bell has been away from the school for a few years, but Wallace’s W-Club (pep club) decided that it wanted to bring something to the school to lift spirits and bring the students together.
“We are always trying to improve school spirit here,” said Bruce Bailey, Wallace athletic director. “Our upperclassmen have been working hard to get some things going like the W-Club and now this bell, which will be rang every time the Miners get a win.”
Bailey’s own son, Carter, a junior at WHS, saw the bell at Sather Field and decided it would be better suited at the school itself. Bruce and some other staff from the school agreed, so they packed it up and brought it to the main building, where it will be rang in triplicate after EVERY Miner win.
Ringing the bell will not only be a proud signal for the students, but also an honorary duty for those who get to do the ringing.
“So this time we gathered all of our students right after 10-minute break and made sure that everyone knew what we were starting,” Bailey said. “But going forward, we will have special people like team captains, special fans and people like that come ring the bell. It will be something the kids and teams will be able to look forward to.”
The creation of the W-Club has been a major addition to WHS and has more than 50 members who have made school spirit, both at home and abroad (at away games) a priority.
The Wallace Victory Bell is steeped in lore and the Shoshone News-Press would love to hear stories from fellow Miner graduates about their memories of the bell.