In many schools, the sound of a bell marks the start of a lesson, the end of recess or the moment to go home. But have you ever wondered where this idea came from?
Long ago, schools didn’t have electric bells or sirens. In fact, most learning happened in one-room schoolhouses, and the teacher was in charge of everything — from lessons to discipline to timekeeping. To begin the day, teachers often rang a large handheld bell outside the building to call students in. This bell was not just a signal — it was a symbol of authority and order.
The idea of using bells for public announcements actually dates back even further. In medieval Europe, church bells were used to mark time, announce events, and call people to worship. When schools began to grow and become more organised in the 1800s, they borrowed this tradition. Large brass bells were hung in towers or kept in hallways. Later, with the invention of electricity, mechanical and electric bells made things much easier.
Today, some schools still use traditional bells, while others have moved to buzzers, chimes, or even musical tones. But the idea is the same — to guide students through their day with a clear, familiar sound.