The Female Brain: President
Hartford’s Founder’s Day Speech
Joy Close, Staff Writer
In light of the differences
in how men and women think
and learn, is Meredith College
effectively addressing the edu
cational needs of its students?
This is a central question in
Meredith College president,
Maureen Hartford’s lecture for
this year’s Founder’s Day Ob
servance on February 28th.
What goes into educating
the brilliant feminine minds of
today? In a talk with President
Hartford about her upcoming
lecture, she said that she will
look at some of today’s most
successful business women and
study how these women, and
women in general, learn. Hart
ford also plans to analyze the
education system today, espe
cially higher educational insti
tutions, and how women today
are taught.
In her lecture, Hartford
intends to argue for the impor
tance of education being built
around the intellectual needs
of women. Hartford hopes
to make more people aware
of the significant differences
between men and women that
stem beyond the physical and
into thought processes and
learning styles. In order to be
effective, she argues, a college
must address these differences.
Hartford hopes to challenge
Meredith College to investigate
how the college, as a college
for women, can change the way
its students are taught and to
be aware of and dedicated to
ensuring an ideal educational
experience for Meredith College
women.
President Hartford also hopes
to make people see the value of
a college for women in compari
son to a co-ed school. Hartford
wants to point out and remind
people that co-ed schools were
originally geared towards educat
ing men, and that women were
added much later to higher edu
cation institutions, long after the
pedagogical methods had been
established to suit masculine
learning styles and brains. There
are many sources that discuss the
differences between the male and
female brain, and there is one in
particular that President Hart
ford has resourced heavily for her
lecture. The book is called The
Female Brain and is written by
Luann Brizendine, M.D. Hart
ford believes every parent who
has daughters should read the
book.
Hartford further argues that
the assembly line method of
education utilized in the United
States is not working. She plans
to point out how children today
are forced to complete a list of
academic check marks regard
less of whether or not the ways in
which they complete them is ef
fectively learned. The education
system does not address a variety
of minds but a chosen minority,
and when education does not
cater to the needs of a variety of
learning styles then the majority
is not reaching its true potential.
In today’s educational system,
glimmers of the sexual discrimi
nation and misunderstanding
of women’s mental abilities that
existed so strongly in the U.S.
a little over a hundred years
ago are still seen. It used to
be so prevalent that a Harvard
academic named Edward Clark
wrote a scientific research book
in the late 19th century named
Sex in Education. Clark’s book,
according to Hartford, claimed
that women would not be able to
have children if they thought too
much. Clark believed that think
ing and learning diverted the
blood that was used in the fe
male reproductive system to the
brain, thus injuring a woman’s
ability to bare children. Fortu
nately people today are quick to
recognize Clark’s claim as inane.
However, the reality of the exis
tence of such a tatement shows
how ill-prepared and unreceptive
to women the educational system
was at its origin. Considering
image via meredith.edu
how far society has had to come,
it is no wonder that the trek to
realizing, understanding, and
accommodating the female brain
has taken so long.
Inspired by Maureen Hart
ford’s lecture, the Office of
Student Leadership and Service
and the Major Events Com
mittee are coordinating a com
munity service project that will
donate money and business at
tire to Dress for Success. Dress
for Success helps unemployed
women by helping them prepare
for interviewing and then pro
viding them with professional
work clothes.
Be inspired, too, and come
to Meredith College President
Hartford’s lecture on Febru
ary 28th in Jones Auditorium.
Doors open at 7:00pm.
IN THIS ISSUE-
Stcife &Xocal: Egyptian Protests, Raleigh Police Sexual Misconduct, Cupcake Review, 2012 Election Preview
^ Arts & Entertainment: Oscar Preview, Two Art Gallery Openings, Local Beat, Spelling Bee Review
Cafr^us Lije: Senior Year Reflections, Waste Audit, Election Results, Fundraiser Ethical Questions
Opinion; Different Senior Year Reflections, Comical Essay on Joyner, International Student’s Views