mel (02/21/83)
There have been several article recently about terminal fan noise and working in the machine room. I have a question too about noise. Perhaps this belongs in net.med, but hear me out, please. I had to attend a recital of my daughter's gym class the other day (anybody with a daughter will explain the "had"). This was in a public school, 7th grade doing aerobic and modern dance. Everything was great - great dancing - beautiful girls - lots of parents - great spirit; except -- the music was LOUD, very LOUD. I noticed many of the parents and very young children holding their ears. I stuffed mine with kleenex, to little effect. The louder passages were excruciatingly painful to me, and I left with a throbbing headache. It took over a day for the effects to wear off. Yet, none of the 7th graders seemed to be bothered by the noise. The teacher and principal didn't seem to be bothered, and some of the parents near me seemed to be enjoying themselves. I have never noticed that I had any but normal hearing (maybe a bit poorer as I grow older). Is my experience here unusual? Is the very loud music the kids like at all harmful? I remember in the Army, even with the little airplanes (in which you could easily talk) we were required to wear ear protectors or headset helmets. If it is, shouldn't the public schools be aware of that, and doing something to control the loudness at least in the classroom where the kids are captive; and perhaps even at the school sponsored dances? Why do the kids like the music so loud? (the amplifier was being driven well beyond all of its distortion limits, so what came out certainly was not what the performing artists intended) Am I right in thinking it was rude and thoughtless to subject anyone in the audience to a loudness that pains them? Mel Haas , houxm!mel
mat (02/21/83)
This is a COMMON experience. The loud music tends to block out any experience except what the kids are concentrating on. They have grown used to it and our next generation is now damn near deaf. I read an article (maybe it was on the net) that said that when the Swedes though that they had a Soviet sub trapped, they had difficulty finding anyone able to operate the listening gear because all of the sailors were deaf ... not from gun duty, but from music heard in lounges and while on leave. YES, it is extremely rude to play ``music'' at this volume and in this way. It is rather like smoking in a crowded shopping mall. If you are concerned about your daughter, and about other children as well, perhaps you should find some of those other parents, and compare notes. You might have enough ammo to take to the school board. If we won't allow industrial workers to be exposed unprotected then what the HELL are we doing allowing our schools to expose our children to louder noise yet. Sorry for the dull style. Mark Terribile