Not so •
Sir: I would like to compliment the Spectator for printing the very fine article on education by Ross Hutchison (7 May).
This was marred, I feel, by the statement in the final paragraph that 'everyone is equally, but differently, gifted'. Unless he is being ironic it is kindly of young Mr Hutchison to say this but it is simply not true. At one end of the scale we have great men with a multitude of talents such as Leonardo da Vinci and Goethe. At the other end of the scale we have unfortunate people, nowadays called ESN, who have no obvious talents at all.
Whether or not, at any stage of the school programme, there should be selection by ability is very debatable, but there is no doubt that our educational system will only succeed if it bears in mind the big differences in children's abilities.
David Ealey 6 Marine Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
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