Margaret Bell Pool

Ringing a Bell: Paving the Road for Success

An early picture of the pool in its former glory - complete with seating and two diving boards. Photo Courtesy aadl.org

by Neel Kanamangala

Soon, what was once one of the better kept secrets at the University of Michigan will be no more. The Margaret Bell Pool hidden inside the Central Campus Recreation Building (CCRB) is set to be demolished. It may not be a loss for many, as finding it only required visitors to make their way through the CCRB’s labyrinth... turning down the stairs, goin straight, hanging a sharp right, and finally stumbling through a locker room. Then finally, they'd find themselves inside a windowless cave that was home to the peaceful and once grand Margaret Bell Pool.

The pool has been my favorite swimming spot on campus, so I wondered where its character, history and name came from. The answer is quite simple - its namesake Dr. Margaret Bell was a brilliant and influential woman, and is perhaps a better kept secret of Michigan than the pool.

Margaret Bell (1889-1969) was a professor of hygiene and physical education at UM. She was an outspoken activist for the advancement of women in the field of fitness (University of Michigan). She is the primary reason for the expansion of women's athletics at the university. She highlights her passion in her letter to Louise Freer, in which she discusses her pride in Michigan’s athletic prowess (Bell). She served as the first president of the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation after leading many female-centered physical education groups. Despite such an impressive resume, Bell believed that her greatest contribution to UM was the Bell Pool, as evidenced by letters found in the Michigan Archival Libraries. Originally fitted with a huge seating area, a ten foot diving board, and a state-of-the-art lap pool, Bell secured one million dollars of funding for its construction ("BHL"). Though perhaps not as accomplished as Margaret Bell, the pool is special in its own right.

Dr. Margaret Bell (1935)

Photo courtesy UM Bentley Historical Library

Dr. Margaret Bell, UM Dept. Phys. Ed. for Women, posed with Margaret Bell Trophy, presented to the Michigan Girls Swimming League Team Champion (1957). Photo courtesy: UM Bentley Library

The Bell Pool is, unfortunately, a mere shadow of what it used to be and who Margaret Bell used to represent. In its prime, it was a womens-only pool for 5,400 female students. Now, it is a tired 6-lane pool that seldom sees more than three people swimming at a time. "The Women's Swimming Pool was dedicated on April 17, 1954 and in May 1966, named in honor of Margaret Bell. The swimming pool was originally a unit of the Women's Athletic Building, which was demolished in 1974 and replaced by the Central Campus Recreation Building," according to the Bentley Historical Library records.

The Bell Pool had confusing hallways snake into one another, but always spit visitors out onto a dimly lit deck. The pool, in my opinion, is seemingly one of the only buildings on campus that has gotten worse over time. The colored lighting, two diving boards, and spectator seating have disappeared. No one really knows where it all went. These touches give the pool character - I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Unfortunately, the pool is getting demolished, along with the rest of the CCRB, according to The University Record. On December 9, 2022 at 9:00 p.m., waves will lap up against its stained edges for the last time. Though the pool’s state in its final semester was saddening considering its former glory, it’s important to appreciate its legacy along with the work that Margaret Bell did on campus.

Once upon a time, the Bell Pool was glorious to all. To me, it still is. Up until its final days, it was my only chance to swim on campus and to jump in with the enthusiasm I lacked during morning practices. It’s the place I could count on to be empty when Ross was full. Because much like Bell herself, the pool has been an unsung hero and a personal rock to me. Bell’s spirit shines within the pool; the work she completed to ensure an inclusive environment for women has spilled into the spirit of campus. It’s inspired changemakers on campus to strive for equality. Though the pool is being demolished as part of the CCRB’s renovation, Bell’s legacy on campus will not be forgotten. The Bell Pool will live on in the hearts and minds of Wolverines everywhere.

Works Cited

Bell, Margaret. Margaret Bell Papers. 1919.

Bell, Margaret. The Doctor Answers Some Practical Questions on Menstruation. Published for the National Section on Women’s Athletics by the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1952.

Bell, Margaret. Letter to Louise Freer, 14 June 1928. Box 5, Bell, Margaret – Department of Physical Education for Women – Questionnaires, 1924-1928 Folder. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collection, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI.

Bell, M.D., Margaret. "Health Examinations Help to Promote Physical Fitness." The Nation's Schools 31, no. 4 (1943): 25-26. Box 2. Folder: Bell, Margaret – Articles – 1930-1944. "Health Examinations. By Margaret Bell, M.D., F.A.C.P." Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collection, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI.

"BHL: Margaret Bell Papers 1919-1956." BHL: Margaret Bell Papers 1919-1956. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhlead/umich-bhl-861055?rgn=Entire+Finding+Aid;view=text;q1=margaret+bell. March, 1987. Accessed November 30, 2022.

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