THE BOY OR THE GIRL - WHICH ONE?

A few days ago I promised, in Forthcoming Articles by Thomas Millington, to publish  articles under two titles.  Herewith is one of them.

The theme of this first article has to do with the education of children and the role of women in society.  The article is addressed to Gather readers throughout the world, although it may have greater relevancy in some countries than in others due to varying levels of affluency and differing statuses of women. 

To introduce the subject I will put forth a hypothetical question, a question which may not seem terribly pertinent to some but of major consideration to others depending on differing circumstances.  The senario is this:  You are a family of five with two children approaching school age.  You are a family of very modest income with no savings.  You are faced with the forthcoming expenses involved with enrolling your children in school, expenses which include fees, new clothes, shoes, books, supplies, transportation, pocket money, as well as, perhaps, the foregoing of chores normally assigned around the house and/or farm.  As stated, some of these expenses may or may not appertain in some countries.

After due consideration of all conditions involved, mother and father conclude that they are unable to educate both children.  The question arises "which one shall we send off to receive an education and which one is to remain at home"?  This is the dilemma.  Which one would you choose?

Numerous factors were considered:  Which child would benefit most from an education both in the present and after reaching adulthood?  Which child would return the greatest benefit to the family once the education was completed?  Which child would benefit most from remaining at home and learning to manage the home, business or farm?  The family would gain the greatest benefit from keeping which child in the home?  Mother and father agonized over these and other questions all evening and into the following day.

By the next evening at the dinner table father made the announcement to everyone based on the consensus arrived at:  the girl would go to school and the boy would stay home.  This was not an easy decision to make since they found both pros and cons for each alternative.  In the end they concluded that they must look to future benefits from their decision and not be concerned with any immediate gain.  They reasoned that the girl, as the future mother of the next generation, would be the first teacher of her children and would therefore be in the best position to educate them.  Consequently  the educational advancement of the community would continue on into the future and as a result its economic advancement as well until such time as all children, regardless of gender, could be educated equally.

What is your view?  What, if anything, would change?