【ContributionofCoeducationImaginingbeingaskedtospendtwelveorsoyearsofyourlifeinasocietywhichconsistedonlyofmembersofownsex.Howwouldyoureact?Unlesstherewassomethingdefinitelywrongwithyouyouwould】

　　ContributionofCoeducation

　　Imaginingbeingaskedtospendtwelveorsoyearsofyourlifeinasocietywhichconsistedonlyofmembersofownsex.Howwouldyoureact?Unlesstherewassomethingdefinitelywrongwithyouyouwouldn’tbetoohappyaboutittosaytheleast.Itisallthemoresurprisingthereforethatsomanyparentsintheworldchoosetoimposesuchabnormalconditionsontheirchildren–conditionswhichtheythemselveswouldn’tputupwithforoneminute!

　　Anydiscussionofthistopicisboundtoquestiontheaimsofeducation.Stuffingchildren’sheadsfullofknowledgeisfarfrombeingforemostamongthem.Oneofthechiefaimsofeducationsistoequipfuturecitizenswithalltheyrequiretotaketheirplaceinadultsociety.Nowadultsocietyismadeupofmenandwomensohowcanasegregatedschoolpossiblyoffertherightsortofpreparationforit?Anyoneenteringadultsocietyafteryearsofsegregationcanonlybeinforashock.

　　Aco-educationalschoolofferschildrennothinglessthanatrueversionofsocietyinminiature.Boysandgirlsaregiventheopportunitytogettoknoweachothertolearntolivetogetherfromtheirearliestyears.Theyareputinapositionwheretheycancomparethemselveswitheachotherintermsofacademicabilityathleticachievementandmanyoftheextra-curricularactivitieswhicharepartofschoollife.Whatapracticaladvantageitis(togivejustasmallexample)tobeabletoputonaschoolplayinwhichthemalepartswillbetakenbyboysandthefemalepartsbygirls!Whatnonsenseco-educationmakesoftheargumentthatboysareclevererthangirlorvice-versa.Whensegregatedboysandgirlsaremadetofeelthattheyarearaceapart.Rivalrybetweenthesexesisfostered.Inacoeducationalschooleverythingfallsintoitsproperplace.

　　Butperhapsthegreatestcontributionofco-educationisthehealthyattitudetolifeitencourages.Boysdon’tgrowupbelievingthatwomenaremysteriouscreatures–airygoddessesmorelikebook-illustrationstoafairy-talethanhumanbeings.Girlsdon’tgrowupimaginingthatmenareromanticheroes.Yearsoflivingtogetheratschooldispelillusionsofthiskind.Therearenogoddesseswithfrecklespigtailspiercingvoicesandinkyfingers.Therearenoromanticheroeswithknobbykneesdirtyfing