The bell from Homewood School, the village’s first public school building, constructed in 1880, is the latest addition to the growing collection of artifacts at the Homewood Historical Society’s Dorband-Howe House Museum, 2035 W. 183rd St.

“We are thrilled to have this bell in our collection,” said Elaine Egdorf, co-founder of the Homewood Historical Society. “This bell is from our first public school, it pre-dates the incorporation of our village in 1893.”

The well-traveled, 16-inch tall by 23-inch wide cast-iron school bell was brought home, fulfilling the specific instructions of a former long-time Homewood resident whose family for many years had used and cared for the relic at its farm in Michigan. 

Al Inwood, his son John, and granddaughter Gina brought the bell some 100 miles from Michigan to Homewood. It was the Inwoods’ late aunt who had documented many years ago her intention for the bell to be back in Homewood.

“This is the way she wanted it,” John Inwood said. “It’s gratifying that Homewood has a museum so we know the bell will be taken care of and will be seen by many in the years to come.” 

Jaan Walther wrote a letter in 1988 to the attention of the Homewood Historical Society declaring her wishes for the bell and detailing its history.

She wrote, “The bell was stored for many years in the attic of the residence of Walter Gleason, Homewood’s chief of police for many years. When he died, his widow, Emma, gave it to their nephew, Tom Berkley, husband of Edith Gold Berkley” who were also Homewood residents.

“Tom and Edith had no convenient place to display it, (so) they let us have it for our farm near Coloma, Michigan, where Tom and Edith and their children spent a good bit of time. We used it for a farm bell to call workers in from the orchard, and in later years graced two herb gardens.”

Walther’s husband, Carl, died in 1994, a few years after they retired to the farm after living in Homewood for some 50 years. Jaan Walther died in 2011.

The Walthers’ son Charles has been operating the farm and recently decided to sell it. That triggered Charles and his cousins from the Inwood family to follow the wishes in Jaan’s old letter.

She concluded the letter to the Homewood Historical Society by stating, “Probably nothing will be done about the bell until I die or have to leave the farm. I do hope it eventually goes to you.”

The Homewood School building is still standing at 18120 Dixie Highway, one lot north of its original location. For many years it housed the Bannon Floor Covering business and apartments.