Students may envision the image of a Quasimodo-type figure ringing a set of 17th-century bells on the hour every day when walking to class.

G. Scott Morris, however, would not hope so. He is the Holmes Student Center audiovisual department supervisor who has been in charge of the clock chime system for the last 10 years.

The clock chimes are operated by a Schulmerich Bells clock system installed in 1968, when the HSC tower originally was built. The system is “completely old-school,” Morris said.

The bells are electronic tone-bells, with a 25-bell range. Their sound is amplified by the Schulmerich system and broadcast to about six speakers on the ceiling of the HSC. On a silent winter night, the chimes can be heard as far as Seventh Street, Morris said.

The system is run from an old meeting room on the main floor of the HSC called the “red dot room” after the red dots found on items placed in storage.

The standard on-the-hour chime is based off the British tune “Westminster Chime,” Morris said. The daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on-the-hour chimes are set to play every day of the week, every day of the year – including Winter Break and summer. There also is an alternating song played at noon every day except for Sunday to prevent conflict with ongoing church services.

The songs are played from rolls of paper with code imprinted on them, similar to the way an automated piano would work,

Morris said.

The selection of songs range from Christmas carols to songs such as “Hello Dolly” and “Alma Mater,” along with some characteristically non-Illinois songs such as “Oklahoma,” which often receive complaints from DeKalb residents whenever played, Morris said.

Morris also gets complaints whenever the chimes are off by more than a minute.

The chime system takes a while to set up because of the age of the system, Morris said.

The sheets used to play songs on the chimes stopped being produced about five years ago, Morris said. The only alternative with the current Schulmerich system is to attach a keyboard to the system and play songs manually. The school could purchase a completely computerized chime system, but it would cost the school anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, Morris said.

He is surprised at how well the Schulmerich bell system has stood the test of time.

“It’s built like a tank,” Morris said. “It was installed when the tower was built, and has been in use since.”

Morris doesn’t plan on leaving his position anytime soon. He enjoys the task and is even self-referential about his position; he carries around a miniature Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” Quasimodo figurine.

Some students don’t know where the chimes come from.

“My best guess is a clock tower somewhere on campus … I have no idea,” said sophomore English major Sammy Uhrin. Junior English major Ian Hicks is supportive and fond of the daily chimes.

“The chimes remind me of my home town, Joliet,” he said. “I think it adds character to the

campus.”