My wife was one of the many bright and industrious young women of the 1960s who worked their way through college. Somewhere late in her sophomore year, her funds ran low and she inquired at the university about a small loan for books and supplies. She was told that her chance of getting a loan was slim, because university funds were scarce, too, and what resources remained for loans were being given almost exclusively to male students. The only women getting loans at the moment were seniors who were about to graduate. She wasn't surprised—disappointed, but not surprised. The priorities were well known: male students first, regardless of academic status, and then if there was enough money left, it would go to advanced female students. The university's loan policy was not unusual; it was just one more expression of an ancient value in the Western tradition. Education for male is practical, but for females, it is luxurious. It is the males, after all, who are destined to hold jobs that require learning; Females—well, a measure of common sense is sufficient for bringing up children.