The program was started in 1960 by a former hall secretary, Betty Gordon, and a group of dorm residents. Last year, the student volunteers took more than 4,000 calls from people all over the world requesting such holiday tunes as "Jingle Bells," ''White Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."
Phone lines are open 24 hours a day until just before midnight Wednesday. The number is 217-332-1882. When lines are busy, a recorded message greets callers with "Our first available caroler will be right with you."
Dial-a-Carol isn't raising money — and that's part of its charm. It coincides with final exams, giving students needed stress relief between tests.
"It's something fun to do when there's nothing other than studying to do," said 19-year-old Christian Dillon, a freshman architecture student from Chicago. He took carol requests for eight hours overnight Friday and was back Monday for more.
