The alumni association plans to fix the Wood Hall clock tower beginning on December 20 with completion planned for January 8. The clock has not kept time for more than 50 years, and the three separate clock faces are rarely in sync.

George Cagwin, president of the alumni association, believes that the project is important because the clock tower is “the entrance to Mill Valley.”

The current clock does not work because there is only one motor inside the tower for all three clock faces. The wooden hands and numbers swell in the rain and stick, which overworks the motor and warps the motor axle. “[The motor] just wasn’t strong enough,” Cagwin said. “We have to replace it with three motors, one for each clock.”

The Alumni Association also plans on either pushing out the clock hands so they don’t catch on the numbers, or replacing the hands and numbers with weather-resistant ones.

When Wood Hall was modernized, the windows at the top of the tower were permanently sealed so the clock cannot be accessed from the inside. This complicates the project because in order to fix the clock, scaffolding will have to be built around the tower.

The project is expected to cost between $25,000 and $30,000. So far, $8,000 has been raised. The alumni association is trying to raise more money by informing community members and organizations of the project. If enough funds aren’t raised, the Alumni Association plans on reallocating funds from other projects. To donate, contact Cagwin at (415) 272-5113.