Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

The Voice of Silence by Harry J. Skornia These notes are based upon an article I read in the Cahier d'Etudes de Radio-Television, Volume 20, published by Flammarion for Radiodiffusion-Television Francaise. The article is by Jean Claude Piguet. It is entitled simple "Le Silence." M. Piguet points out that in all teaching situations there are really three voices at work: the voice of the teacher, the voice of the student, and in the silences, the voice of the subject under discussion—truth. Just as white space is essential in art or print, in sound communication silence is essential to learning, appreciation, understanding, the making of decisions, the comprehension of meaning. It is difficult for some teachers to realizeespecially the ones who want to talk continuously on a television program— that the objective of the program, in fact, the role of the teacher, is not to teach, but to help others learn. Teachers' words, which sometimes seem to flow compulsively, play only a part of the role or function demanded in the learning process. Visuals, and frankly silence, have equally important roles to play. We have lids on our eyes. We can blink out visual distractions and images. We have none on our ears. In the bombardment now occurring, in which the noise level of our mass media, industry, advertising, are pitched a tincreasing higher volume and tone, the turn-off switch has to be 'farther up the line' —in the mind. Unfortunately we're likely to find it turned off at times when it should be on. Then we say "What did you say?" or we ju.st skip it. To return to the article: M. Piguet points out that the truth 'heard' in the silence is not any one person's truth, but truth as an invisible spirit. In Quaker meetings there are great blocks of silence. But this doesn't mean nothing is happening. I personally believe that more happens to the individual concerned in a meaningful, worshipful sense than would have occurred in another service in which silence has been reduced to a minimum. This calm communion of spirit to spirit that silence can bring is much too infrequent in today's world. In music, sounds and tones sparsely strewn on a desert of silence have a special effect. Comparable effects are possible in poetry. Music, without silences and pauses, would not be music. (And much of course isn't, now adays!) But the silence which surrounds discourse or music should not be confused with the silence which either can include. Such included silences are not the absence but the presence of an essential part of the dialogue, the communication, the work itself. The pauses and silence of a great speaker are sometimes the most effective parts of his speech. Sometimes more can occur in listeners' minds during those silences than during the shouting and emphasis we normally think of as 'the speech'. In the written word, punctuation and white space play the role of silence. Mass media in the United States have accomplished one thing: by blaring example they have convinced too many people that silence is something to be abhorred. Like sohtude, silence has become socially unacceptable. Our children study with radios or records blasting at fuU volume. After hearing a challenging program, which we should then think over, we instead yield to the urge not to miss the next one. With one idea driven out by the next, we rarely settle down to silent concentration. The 'third voice', the voice of the subject or problem, is never heard. Our mind is kept floating on the surface of problems and never has the silence and concentration needed to really explore or probe them. Great documentaries on radio and television should be followed by enforced silence. There is much to learn from oriental philosophies and religions. We could well begin to learn that silence is not only useful but essential. The constructive and the sublime alike are generally created out of silence and contemplation. Not out of filling each waking moment with talk, noise, tranquiUzers, late movies. Westerns, and 'thrills' which each year lose their bite for lack of 'white space.' M. Piguet points out that to be silent is not only not to talk. It is to allow reality to come to us. For man is a very special creature. Do we as teachers and communicators and those who have the power and responsibility to stimulate thought— do we have the courage to help create silence for those who would learn? Do we dare to create more silence within our communications, and to provide an environmental setting of silence to surround our sounds? Can we discover the effectiveness of the blank screen and dead air? Can we let the voice of silence speak? iOUCATIONAL ScREEN AND AUDIOVISUAL GuiDE — APRII., 1960 179