In an excerpt from Ilene Bay`s Classroom: The College Girls Handbook, published this week by Quill & Quire, she says:
I wish one day that classes such as the one at Humber Collegiate had a strong female leader, a brilliant teacher, an excellent mentor for future female graduates. It might lead to “girl power,” which we have sorely missed. But it won’t happen without a sustained effort by males, and of course there is a history of female reluctance to organize themselves and their male allies.
This is a Canada of rich traditions, colourful lore, diversity and extensive opportunities to learn all over. If the College Boys` Achieverships is to yield as much for high school students as it has for the College Girls, there should be no shortage of candidates from all backgrounds.
As Ms. Bay`s otherwise intelligent friend rhapsodized, she looked forward to growing up to discover a female in the leadership position on her day of examination—a qualification we would expect from her parents, but not necessarily an expectation from any other generations of children.