Bells for Nancy

Mother-confessor to more than 100,000 lonely, thwarted, trouble-burdened citizens of Detroit is white-haired, childless Nancy Brown, who writes a daily column of domestic advice for the Detroit News.

Her column is not merely a tower of simple wisdom and reproof for lustful maidens, conscience-stricken wives: it is also a civic institution. Nancy's readers gave her $1,400 to reforest 560 acres of land in northern Michigan, gave more to replant them when the young trees were burned over. In 1932, when the Detroit Symphony was going under, Nancy's newspaper family sponsored six concerts, put the orchestra back on dry land.

Nancy Brown at 69 is small, gentle, spry. Every year since 1934 she has held a religious service on Belle Isle (between Detroit and Windsor, Ont.) at sunrise on Easter Morning. At these services Nancy buries herself in the crowd, her face hidden in the fur collar of her coat. Few of her contributors know her real name, and she knows few of theirs.

One day three years ago Nancy found in her mail a letter suggesting that Belle Isle should have a carillon for her sunrise services. Nancy thought it was a nice idea, printed the letter. Next day came an anonymous donation of $1 toward the bells. Thereupon Nancy Brown began to reflect: a carillon must have at least 23 bells and a tower in which to mount them would cost anywhere from $100,000 up.

So in her column Nancy acknowledged the contribution, but added: "We cannot build the tower--it is too great an enterprise. What should I do with the dollar?" For answer, in her next day's mail she got more money. A contributor calling himself "Sunset Hunter" suggested penny banks to catch odd coins for the tower. Readers began to drop their pennies, nickels, dimes into old pitchers and broken cups to save them for Nancy.

By 1937, when Recession set in, Nancy had collected over $7,000. Then William Edmund Scripps, president of the Detroit News Corporation, decided to take a hand. He pointed out that with $1,000 a month in donations it would still take eight more years to raise enough. "Make them be business-like," he told his domestic columnist. Said Nancy: "They won't be businesslike. It's not that kind of a column." Nevertheless, she asked them to stop--and money still came in.

A contributor who signed his name "Angus" suggested light-weight chimes (which cost less) instead of heavy, cast bells. One who called himself "Banker" urged Nancy to hasten, lest inflation raise the cost of the tower. Alarmed, Nancy's donors redoubled their efforts. By last month she had raised $27,700, still needed around $20,000 more. One morning "Banker" came in person to her office, offered to lend her the rest without interest.

Just how much will be required neither Nancy nor "Banker" yet knows. He will advance whatever sum is needed, Nancy's contributors will pay him back from their banks and pitchers, from collections at Belle Isle services.

One more difficulty arose when Nancy wrote Detroit's Council for permission to build the tower. Belle Isle is a city park and playground, site of Detroit's Conservatory, scene of its summer Symphony concerts. Council President Edward J. Jefferies Jr. wanted to know who was going to pay a carillonneur's salary in years to come. Nancy explained: her chimes would need no expert, salaried carillonneur. She got her permit.

Last week on Belle Isle, in a clearing near the centre of the island, overlooking a lagoon, Nancy turned the first shovelful of ground for the Nancy Brown Peace Carillon. She broke the sod with a beribboned spade supplied by Publisher Scripps of the News. The ceremony was unheralded : only the tower's architect and trustees, a few city officials, the News editor, Nancy Brown's grandniece and grandnephew were on hand.

The tower will be an octagonal limestone shaft, 90 feet tall, topped by a dome. In the base will be an organ. Nancy hopes to have it ready for her sunrise service next Easter Morning, will dedicate it formally to Peace on Father's Day. Opposite the site, in the lagoon, lies a small island. The Commissioner of Parks is going to move the island, so that Nancy's tower can be reflected full length.

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