Educated Clock Sings, Talks, and Plays the Pipe Organ (Jul, 1934)
Educated Clock Sings, Talks, and Plays the Pipe Organ
A CRIPPLED inventor of Akron, Ohio, has recently completed what he believes is the world’s most wonderful clock. The remarkable instrument gives the comparative time in 27 different cities. In addition, it sings, talks and plays a reedless pipe organ every hour.
Every day the clock commemorates the death of America’s martyrs. At the hour of Lincoln’s funeral it recites the Gettysburg address. The time of President McKinley’s burial is marked by a playing of the old hymn, “Lead, Kindly Light.” At the hour of President Garfield’s interment, the remarkable timepiece plays “Gates Ajar.”Valued at $50,000, the educated clock was built by 70-year-old Marvin Shearer after ten years of painstaking work. The clock contains 5000 pieces of wood, a mass of electrical control wires several miles in length, and is twice the height of an ordinary man.
I’ed think getting a decent shot going at speed would be impossible...
Wonder if that clock still exists. It sounds pretty awesome.
Comment by dave — July 17, 2011 @ 7:26 pm
He seems to have been a known artist (if not inventor) so you’d think so. Hope it wasn’t turned in for the brass content in WWII.
Comment by Toronto — July 17, 2011 @ 8:09 pm
dave ยป Haven’t found if it still exists but I found it was called “The Electrical Wonder”
The really odd thing is that there is a writeup on a very similar clock by him in a 1904 book on carpentry and woodworking.
Comment by John — July 17, 2011 @ 8:20 pm
There were actually TWO clocks.
Comment by Donna Shearer Cotter — November 19, 2011 @ 2:39 pm