When catching a MetroLink to downtown St. Louis, passengers generally try to find a space to ride. After the train is fully occupied, a soft-pitched bell rings to signal that doors are closing.

Pattonville students may begin to feel like they are riding the Metro at school, for the high school’s new bell system emulates a noise fairly similar to this common MetroLink sound. After years of adapting to the previous traditional ring, Pattonville started testing this new bell system after school dismissal on Monday, Dec. 9.

“We decided to test out these new bells a couple of weeks ago,” said Pattonville High School principal Joe Dobrinic. “A few weeks ago, we decided to replace [the previous bell sound] with a new system of technology because the other system was getting old and out-of-date.”

Initially, many students were confused after recognizing the tone of a church bell three mornings ago. Minutes following this change, an announcement was given to inform the school of the new bell system and officially send students to class.

“The building is old and we wanted to update our system to be obsolete,” said assistant principal Gene Grimshaw. “District technology specialists did a good job of maintaining [our previous bell system] and helped us order a new one.”

Like many of the school’s services, Pattonville had to make payments in order to obtain the new sounds. However, Grimshaw believes these dues were relatively minor compared to costs of other school services.

“It was just part of our normal operating expense,” Grimshaw added. “We did not use money from Prop P or Prop K to pay for the bells.”

Since Tuesday morning, Pattonville has tested out three different sounds during various parts of the school day. While the church bell noise resonated with students on Tuesday, the MetroLink noise has been extensively used the past two days. According to Grimshaw, the first bell at 7:14 a.m. provides an interesting echo that sounds like a five-digger.

“We are trying to go back to the old system as much as possible,” Grimshaw stated. “We’ve learned that are options are unlimited, as long as [the noise] was available through the Internet.”

Although there are mixed collection of opinions toward these changes, some students and faculty around the school are in favor of this change.

“The bells sounds like the airplane signal warning me to fasten my seat belt on an airplane preparing to take off,” admitted senior Devin Olds. “I think the new bell system is pretty cool, and it definitely makes me feel like I’m not even in school.”

With the holidays approaching, it’s fair to say that these new systems are creating a new Carol of the Bells at the high school. Pattonville is testing out these sounds for the remaining six school days of first semester, and the school will choose one of these bells to ring regularly after Winter Break.