The iconic Tower at the heart of Mount Saint Joseph’s campus was built in 1901, originally serving as the stairwell connecting the M building and Alexius Hall. More than a structural landmark, the Tower became synonymous with tradition.
Boarding students made a rite of passage of sneaking from their dorm rooms to sign their names on the steps just below the Brothers’ floor. If they got caught, they earned themselves a detention or “JUG.” If they accomplished their task and made it safely back to their rooms before the Brothers noticed, their pencil-etched signatures stood as proof but no punishment would be administered.
The M building was demolished in 1962, and when plans were made to tear down Alexius Hall in 1981, the Tower was set to be on the chopping block too. But alumni of all ages rallied together, convincing the school to save the Tower and preserve the history within. Thanks to their efforts, the Tower still stands as a beacon for Mount alumni around the world.
While the signing ritual didn’t become an official school tradition until the 1990s, there are autographs from every decade scrawled across the Tower’s bricks. Today, students are not permitted to enter the Tower until the final days of their senior year, when they climb the 112 steps to the top with their classmates and sign their names among the thousands of alumni who came before them.
Now, nearly 50 years after the alumni first united to save the Tower, they are stepping up again to ensure its steps can be climbed by future generations of graduating Gaels. Restoration work began this May thanks to a $275,000 pledge from the Alumni Association. Before renovations began, engineers conducted a structural analysis and determined that the Tower remains structurally sound. The project includes general maintenance, cosmetic repairs, and HVAC installation.
This much-needed work will help preserve the beloved, 125-year-old symbol of tradition, brotherhood, and shared history for years to come.
