The ringing of Waco University’s large bell signaled the change of classes during a typical day for students. On occasion, professors rang the bell to mark special occasions and holidays. When Waco and Baylor Universities merged in 1885, the bell was moved to its current location on Burleson Quadrangle in order to stand as a reminder of the school’s academic roots. A smaller bell, brought from the Baylor campus at Independence, stands next to it.