Kalamazoo Hand Bell Quarter Weekend

The band that rang a hand bell peal with Jeff Smith for his eightieth birthday last year was so quickly successful they had extra time to spare, that had been scheduled in case of false starts or other difficulties. They used this time to ring a couple of quarters, and everyone enjoyed themselves so much that it was decided to schedule a whole weekend of hand bell quarter attempts this year.

The local Kalamazoo band was joined by a few other keen hand bell ringers from Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis-St Paul and Pittsburgh. Besides hand bell quarter attempts, time was set aside for practicing hand bell ringing, for ringing two tower bell quarters, and for a lovely dinner out together, joined by those few Kalamazoo ringers that don't enjoy hand bells and significant others. Among the exciting things practiced included ringing on fourteen and sixteen!

In the end thriteen hand bell quarters were scored, in a variety of methods, at stages from minor to maximus; and two tower bell quarters of surprise major. Highlights included Margaret Miller's first hand bell quarter of surprise minor and then of surprise major; Sue Fautsch's first quarters of surprise royal and of Cornwal Surprise Major; Rob Kakuk's and Margaret's first quarter of treble dodging maximus; Tom Farthing's first quarter of Cornwall; and Mike Schulte's first quarter rung with a napkin in his ear, he being believed to be the first ringer in North America, or possibly even the world, to have accomplished this unusual feat.

(photos by Cally Perry)

Friday May 20 2011

1272 Norwich Surprise Minor

1-2 Jeff Smith

3-4 Elaine Hansen

5-6 Don Morrison (C)

Friday May 20 2011

1272 Norwich Surprise Minor

1-2 Cally Perry

3-4 Mike Schulte (C)

5-6 Sue Fautsch

First with a serviette in his ear: 3-4.

Friday May 20 2011

1280 Kent Treble Bob Major

1-2 Margaret Miller

3-4 Mike Schulte (C)

5-6 Elaine Hansen

7-8 Kit Almy

Friday May 20 2011

1280 Kent Treble Bob Royal

1-2 Jeff Smith

3-4 Cally Perry

5-6 Kris Fowler

7-8 Sue Fautsch

9-10 Don Morrison (C)

Birthday compliment to Maurice Southworth.

Friday May 20 2011

1272 Norwich Surprise Minor

1-2 Margaret Miller

3-4 Kris Fowler

5-6 Don Morrison (C)

First surprise in hand: 1-2.

Saturday May 21 2011

1280 Norwich Surprise Major

1-2 Margaret Miller

3-4 Mike Schulte (C)

5-6 Elaine Hansen

7-8 Sue Fautsch

First surprise major in hand: 1-2.

Saturday May 21 2011

1296 Double Norwich Court Bob Major

1-2 Jeff Smith

3-4 Cally Perry

5-6 Don Morrison (C)

7-8 Kris Fowler

Saturday May 21 2011

1280 Norwich Surprise Royal

1-2 Cally Perry

3-4 Elaine Hansen

5-6 Kris Fowler

7-8 Don Morrison (C)

9-10 Sue Fautsch

First surprise royal: 9-10.

Saturday May 21 2011

1280 Oxford Treble Bob Major

1-2 Margaret Miller

3-4 Jeff Smith

5-6 Elaine Hansen

7-8 Sue Fautsch (C)

Saturday May 21 2011

1276 Spliced Plain Major

(5 methods: Double Bob, Gainsborough Little Bob, Little Bob, Plain Bob, St Clement's College Bob)

1-2 Jeff Smith

3-4 Elaine Hansen

5-6 Sue Fautsch

7-8 Don Morrison (C)

Sunday May 22 2011

1344 Kent Treble Bob Maximus

1-2 Cally Perry

3-4 Elaine Hansen

5-6 Rob Kakuk

7-8 Kris Fowler

9-10 Don Morrison (C)

11-12 Margaret Miller

First treble dodging maximus: 5-6, 11-12.

Sunday May 22 2011

1280 Bristol Surprise Major

1 Don Morrison (C)

2 Britt Hartenberger

3 Kris Fowler

4 Kit Almy

5 Rob Kakuk

6 Elaine Hansen

7 Margaret Miller

8 Linda Woodford

Sunday May 22 2011

1344 Cornwall Surprise Major

1 Mike Schulte (C)

2 Kit Almy

3 Kris Fowler

4 Margaret Miller

5 Tom Farthing

6 Britt Hartenberger

7 Rob Kakuk

8 Linda Woodford

First in method: 5.

Sunday May 22 2011

1344 Cornwall Surprise Major

1-2 Cally Perry

3-4 Elaine Hansen

5-6 Sue Fautsch

7-8 Don Morrison (C)

First in method: 5-6.

Sunday May 22 2011

1280 Kent Treble Bob Royal

1-2 Mike Schulte

3-4 Elaine Hansen

5-6 Tom Farthings

7-8 Don Morrison (C)

9-10 Sue Fautsch