COSTA MESA : Carillon Doesn’t Ring Bell for Some

The mellifluous tones of carillon chimes started ringing on the Orange Coast College campus this week, but the gentle chiming was not music to everyone’s ears.

The electronic system that plays digitally recorded tapes of a 49-bell, bronze-cast carillon every hour received mixed reviews from students and faculty. While proponents of the chimes say they will bring a Harvard-like atmosphere to the campus, others argue that the expense of the system will ring out louder than the music.

The OCC Foundation--the fund-raising arm of the college--Associated Students and the Alumni Assn. each donated $3,000 for the $9,000 system. Critics charged that the cost was exorbitant and complained that the chimes were at times barely audible.

“I think it’s a waste of money,” said Michelle Chanter, a communications major. “It might be a good idea if you could hear it, but not for $9,000.”

But an administrator who helped push for funding the system asked that critics wait until all the kinks are worked out before sounding off against the chimes.

“Sure, it’s an extra, but it’s just something to add to the campus,” said Douglas C. Bennett, executive director of the OCC Foundation.

Students hardly took notice of the chimes as they rang out the hour earlier this week. The music was faint even at the Portside Cafe, which is beside the four-story library building where the electronic system’s five speakers are installed.

“This is the first time I’ve heard about them,” said Joy Yim, a part-time music major who sat at a cafe table. “I didn’t realize that they were there.”

Bennett said that part of the sound problem is that the chimes have a range of three-fourths of a mile and the school must ensure that the music does not disturb residential neighbors. On Monday, when the system was installed, the chimes could be heard from all quarters of campus. But on Tuesday, the volume had been turned down so low that students near the library could barely hear them. On Wednesday, the chimes were reset to a moderate volume.

College President David A. Grant said the chimes add a “warm” feeling to the campus. He dismissed arguments that the money for them, none of which came from the college’s operating funds, could have been used to help defray student costs.