I wandered into a little gem of a book, and thought I'd share a reference to it here, as I think it to have bearing. The Education of T.C MITS What modern mathematics means to you By Lillian R. Lieber Drawings by High Gray Lieber Copyright 1942,1944 renewed 1972 W.W. Notton & Company. Inc.

From the preface (trying to be true to the typographical structure):

""" "The past is antiquated You must be progressive." "The past as wonderful, The new-fangled fads are A sign of decadence" ... Oh, we know you do not like Mathematics, But We promise not to use it as an instrument of torture but to show what bearing it may have on the contradictory advice mentioned above, as well as on such things as: Democracy Freedom and License Pride and Prejudice Success Isolationism Preparedness Tradition Progress Idealism Common Sense Human Nature War Self-reliance Humility Tolerance Provincialism Anarchy Loyalty Abstract Art And so on. """ The authors, methodology for communication: """ To do this VIVIDLY, we use pictures whenever possible. And top do it CLEARLY, we use the clearest language man has invented: Mathematics. """ She also apparently wrote a wonderful book on Relativity, which I have ordered (paying dearly for a vintage copy). She would be bruised to think that, I think, that women have less of an interest in these subjects than men. Art