Random whistling noise uncovered
Everyday as students walk to class, their thoughts are suddenly interrupted by an odd whistling noise on Front Campus near the Maxwell Student Union. What is this noise that perplexes our minds and tickles our curiosity?
At first, students did not know what to think. They did not know if the noise was real or if they were just hearing things. Senior Natalie Kessler lives across the street from MSU and has never quite known where the noise comes from.
“When my fianc? and I first met, we sat out on the front porch a lot. The noise drove us crazy,” Kessler said. “I think the noise has something to do with the school kitchen, but I am not sure. Sometimes it sounds like it actually comes out of the clock tower above the dining hall or that it is coming from somewhere down the steps by the campus mailboxes. My fianc? always called it ‘Jason,’ because it is rather spooky. It is like GC&SU has their very own Freddy Kruger in the boiler room.”
Over the years, there have been many theories created to explain the noise. One theory is that the campus is haunted. Sophomore education major Jessica Toomey walks by MSU everyday and believes that the noise is a ghost.
“My friends and I hear it all the time on our way to class,” Toomey said. “Last year we determined that it comes from inside MSU, and when you are walking around late at night, it is a little freaky. I think the whole campus is haunted.”
Another theory is that the noise comes from the MSU clock tower. Sophomore Reba Gnann believes that the noise is created when the wind blows through the clock tower.
“I heard somewhere that the clock tower used to play a melody and that the noise is what’s left of it,” Gnann said. “It plays when the wind blows through it just right.”
Some students even think the noise comes from aliens.
“I heard the noise once, and I could not figure out what it was, but I think it is space aliens transferring radio waves up to their mother ship,” freshman biology major Daniel Smith said.
The answer to the riddle is simple. The noise comes from a 200-horse power steam boiler located on the roof of MSU. It comes from a blower unit removing carbon monoxide out of the firing chamber of the boiler. This happens every time before ignition, causing the noise to reoccur several times throughout the day. The boiler serves several different purposes in the GC&SU dining hall.
“This boiler provides steam for cooking purposes and also steam for sterilization of plates that GC&SU’s cafeteria serves food on,” said Associate Director of Operations & Maintenance Kevin Murner. “(When) you hear that whistle, you know the boiler is about to turn on. That whistle is a good thing.”
After the long wait, students were thrilled to finally know the truth. Sophomore education major Dorian Scheuch was surprised to hear that the noise was from the boiler.
“I have wondered for a year and a half now what the noise is,” Scheuch said. “I never would have thought it would be the boiler, but I am glad to finally know what it is.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Dec 2 2005. Filed under Other.
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