Sir, - Prof Pat O'Connor's (Letter, August 11th) is difficult to follow - mixed metaphors are never very helpful. I see nothing objectionable with Dr Reville's reasoning; he usually writes simply and well. Statistics, however, prove nothing.
When the subject of gender is ever discussed, the fundamental issues are invariably avoided, i.e. the physiological and intellectual difference between male and female. These differences, designed by evolution, prevail throughout the entire animal kingdom. Male and female are not equal, but they are very complementary.
In the human species, my teaching experience shows that girls are generally more intelligent than boys up to the age of puberty approximately. Then comes a gradual but subtle change. The female develops characteristics becoming of her future, while the male seems to mentally broaden in outlook towards the world. One cannot in any way generalise in this matter, but there never seem to have been female Beethovens or Shakespeares in the world, nor has there been a male endowed with loving, maternal instincts of the female - unless he is a freak!
With such characteristics attached to both genders it is clear that each has his or her own strength in teaching. I suppose evolution, not statistics, has ensured these differences. - Yours, etc., Dr P. McCabe,
Yellow Walls,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.