 of good teachers, if there's assurance of quality control in the school board, Mary Polly. It forced me to think about those ingredients. Our president, the president of the United States. Mary Polly, we will turn into me a homework assignment. Even cabinet members have homework assignments. One that I gave him last month. But don't worry, your work so far has been A plus. But the secretary's report will tell us what kind of progress we've made over the last five years. And it will tell us what closely with you on specific ways that we can improve education. There are few areas of American life as important to our society, to our people, to our families, as our schools. By the way, if I could just interject something here. If there's anybody who proves that learning doesn't have to be dull, that education and fun can go together. We'll sing, rock around the clock. Bill Haley in the comments. Name the two lead singers of the Drifters. Clyde McFadder, Benny King. And what's at the top of this week's top 40? I don't have the fiest idea, Mr. President. You mean you don't know the answer? No, sir. Bill, everybody knows that this week's number one song is Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror. Don't feel bad, Bill. Two out of three, it ain't bad. But there's a serious point here, one I hope you'll always remember. Learning and fun can go together. And in many ways, the more you know, the more fun you can have. Now, some of you may have heard of some of the key articles on the education reform movement. The rent of a choice and the fact that it was a good guy. And he had it in the right. Come up here and stab him with more hands than you can on merit, I hope. So, good for you. I'd like to tell you something about an American theory that is centered to accountability and education. This is one of the recommendations of the National Judges' Report that, quote, salaries for the teaching profession should be increased and should be professionally constructed and market-sensitive and perform at best. Salary, promotion, tenure, and retention decisions should be taught to graduate students in industrial and economic sciences could, with appropriate supervision, immediately begin teaching in these states. And you could, but that's very impressive. Here it is, according to your comment. Hopefully, speaking to a living human, you would live in your 50th day of college. A higher standard of living and paying no taxes or supporting no work out of the truth. Whether the problem is including education or eliminating drug abuse or helping the homeless, whatever the challenge, individual initiative and responsibility is always probably the answer. So, as I thought about the message I'd like to leave with you, as I consider what word I could give for many years, I decided that this was a strong song for you. Took away the strength of the arts program. How can we achieve balance between what it's told you and what it's done to all of these fields and that the science is on hand? You feel the problem of the homeless is one of the federal government's tackle and it's not about how can it be resolved. Frankly, I think the problem of the homeless rights for many other problems actually belongs at the local community center level. So, the federal government ready to help at any rate as we started warning you for more and more of the federal government and federal interference that was appropriate, including education. Just as that. Because of the recent uprising in Panama, we're looking necessary to resume U.S. military control in Panama for the safety of the council. No, we might go by-by-tentrary and we're not going to need a big colossus of them more than once again coming into the smaller main places of living in business and direct them. They have a very difficult problem there. We think that they're moving for a solid victory. Even then, there's also so much effect. We want to be helped at any rate we can. So, we help them in that regard. We can only stress that we put down there sort of a kind of pressure for this kind of thing. Yes, that's a sign. There's some things that I would like to say for that I could not be safe for while I'm president. Some I could come up with. Mr. President, I'd like to present to you 1,000 Oakton High School students. I know that you all heard everything that went on in the other room. And so, since I spoke about 15 minutes, I thought I'd ask questions. What did I say? No, I won't do that. And I know that I can't take up too much of your time. But I was just telling your principal before we came in here a few minutes ago that you don't outgrow a lot of things and a lot of memories. You remember a lot of things and sometimes wish you'd done a little better. As for example, when my alma mater, the college that I went to 25 years later, gave me an honorary degree, they didn't know that I'd been nursing a sense of guilt for 25 years because I thought the first one they gave me was honorary. But hearing your fine band and all and being in this atmosphere, believe me, it's very difficult knowing that I got to go outside and head back over to Washington. The memories that come flooding back of all the things that go on. And I know I wasn't as much of a student as I should have been. I think I made that plain in my remarks. I've often wondered if I had tried harder for A's, what I might have become. Bill just said Secretary of Education. That was pretty sneaky of me, though, wasn't it? No, I have a great respect, as I said in there, for all of you and what you're doing in the accomplishment Fairfax County in this whole upsurge of educational quality that has taken place. And now I know I have to go and I can't keep you here any longer, but I just wanted to tell you you shouldn't tempt me. But I have a story that just came to me recently, probably because of St. Patrick's Day. And this is a true story of a little Irish girl about six years old in Ireland, came home from school and with a note, she had been very naughty. And that night when the family gathered around the dining table, she was at a little table over in the corner facing the wall. And then they heard her saying grace. She said, dear Lord, thank thee for preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Well, it's been a great pleasure to be here. I wish I could think of something startling that would improve everything for you, but I can't. I just want you to know that I've been very honored to be here and be a part of this day recognizing your teachers and all that they do. God bless all of you. Thank you. Mr. President, we couldn't let you go without introducing you to our Cougarhead Assembly. And the president of the Student Government Association, Ms. Dawn Olmsted. My honor on behalf of Oakton High School to welcome you to Cougar Country. We are very excited that you could be here with us this afternoon. We know as president, you have quite a lot of things to do, and we're glad you could take time out of your schedule to be with us. I hope we hope that we will be the beginning of a future that you will be very proud of. Now, on behalf of all the students here at Oakton High School, I would like to present you with an Oakton High School baseball jacket for your remembrance of this day. How did you Cougars find out that my nickname was Dutch? We have our way. That's what is inscribed on the jacket. And now, you might be interested to know, I know that you call it burgundy and gold. Well, at Eureka College, where I played football and a few things, we called it maroon and gold. So the colors are very appropriate. And I'm very pleased and proud to have.