B-9.2 St. Joan of Arc Chapel and Carillon

Administrative History:  The St. Joan of Arc Chapel and Carillon Committee was created in 1964 and charged with coordinating details connected with the installations of St. Joan of Arc Chapel and the University Carillon. In 1983, the committee was split into two parts to deal with each entity separately. he Chapelle de St. Martin de Sayssuel was likely built in the fifteenth century, perhaps even earlier, in the vicinity of Chasse, a little French village in the Rhone River Valley. In 1926, Gertrude Hill Gavin, daughter of American railroad magnate James J. Hill, acquired the Chapel and arranged for its transfer to her fifty-acre estate at Jericho, Long Island, New York. In 1962 the Gavin estate passed into the possession of Mr. and Mrs. Marc B. Rojtman, who in 1964 presented the Chapel to Marquette University. The dismantling began in June 1963 and took nine months to complete. Reconstruction on the Marquette campus started in July 1965. A dedication ceremony was held on May 26, 1966. Following the dedication, the Marquette University Players, under the direction of Leo M. Jones, presented scenes from the life and legends of Joan of Arc. A more complete history of the Chapel, which served as the basis of this summary, is available on the University's Web site.

The 48-bell Carillon was a gift to the university from Mary Carufel Dwan (Mrs. John C. Dwan), former member of the Marquette Board of Regents and chair of the John C. Dwan Educational Foundation in Duluth, Minnesota. Les Fils de Georges Paccard, one of the finest bell makers in the world, cast the four-octave Carillon during the spring and summer of 1967 in Annecy-le-Vieux, France. The university held a blessing ceremony on September 9, 1967. After the Carillon was installed in the tower of Marquette Hall, dedication ceremonies and the first Carillon concert were held on October 29, 1967.

Scope and Content:   These records are arranged into six series. Series 6 consists of the records of the St. Joan of Arc Chapel and Carillon Committee. Series 6.1 through 6.4 consists of records created by the St. Joan of Arc Chapel. Series 6.5 contains sound recordings of Carillon concerts and an audio tape relating to the reconstruction of the St. Joan of Arc Chapel at Marquette University.

Arrangement: The contents of each series are arranged alphabetically. Series 6.5 is arranged by sound recording form (cassette and reel-to-reel tapes) and then alphabetically.

Restrictions:  Access to these records is unrestricted. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of these records. Consult an archivist for further information.

Series 6 St. Joan of Arc Chapel and Carillon Committee Records, 1919-1987  
Series 6.1 Guest Books, 1966-ongoing
Series 6.2 Log Books of Special Uses, 1972-ongoing
Series 6.3 Schedules (Mass Intentions), 1984-ongoing
Series 6.4 Attendance Records,1973-ongoing
Series 6.5 Sound Recordings, 1965-1981