Historic Bok Sanctuary

A Peaceful Wish to All Humanity in the American Spirit of Unity
Part 1

by Martha Hollis and Anthony Scaggs

Imagine total peace surrounded with the glories of nature, peaceful garden walks and mellow peals of classical grandeur of a carillon. Further, visualize the lack of technological distractions. Breathe deeply. The air is clear and might even have a faint aroma of orange blossoms during season. Here is an escape from the madness of the world, a sanctuary for reflecting on living peacefully with one another as well as within oneself. The gardens at the Historic Bok Sanctuary are dedicated to the human spirit.

This sanctuary is the gift of Edward Bok, possibly known to many as the editor of The Ladies' Home Journal, the first magazine in U.S. history to exceed 1 million subscribers. He was very familiar with "women's work" having as a child helped his ailing mother with cooking, cleaning, and household chores. And we certainly must celebrate Bok's editorial insight for creating the first advice columns on love and marriage. Bok was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his autobiography.

This gift was to the American people, his adopted country as an immigrant from the Netherlands. In particular, one anecdotal story illustrates his drive and determination. As a youth, he was looking through a bakery shop window when the baker walked out to talk with him. Proud of his baked goods display, the baker smiling to himself turned to Bok asking him how he liked the display. Studying the display, Bok turned and said, "Your baked goods would be even more appealing if the display window was washed on a regular basis." The baker hired him immediately and the word spread to other shop owners. From this, he coined the phrase "Find a need and fill it."

In the Sanctuary there appears to be only one concession to technology and that one clearly was warranted--a television monitor of the carilonneur operating the keyboard levers with his fists (treble clef) and feet (base clef) to play the 60 bells which are immovable. The carillon is the world's largest musical instrument. Imagine playing bells ranging in weight from 16 pounds to 12 tons! The action is mechanical with control of loud and soft by the force of the strike.

Live performances from the Singing Tower can be enjoyed daily at 3 p.m. The monitor and welcoming benches are discretely place behind a verdant wall of foliage. It reminded us every so slightly of a Carnegie Hall music video--you can watch the star in addition to hearing the music. Fortunately, the monitor is only a visual. The rich reverberating tones of the pure and sweet caste bronze bells elevating the sensory perception of sound to new heights emanates directly from the Singing Tower.

Click on selected photos for expanded view.