So far as excellence exists, it exists relative to something else such as the historical age, the chronological age of the creator, the societal conditions under which creation takes place, and the limitations of the physical world. While excellence is sought and revered, it is often made to serve ulterior ends such as higher pay, higher scores on tests, or higher grades-an intrusion shifts the focus from excellence to something else. In education, excellence has come to be judged on an industrial model of efficiency and products that has distorted the educational process. The subject of English has been reduced from the deep, mysterious, and panoramic miracles of speech and literature to drill exercises on spelling, punctuation, and grammar. These latter tasks could be taught as well by computers as by human teachers, and using such aids might allow teachers to stop the suffocating lock-step at which students presently go through the educational system. Through excellent teaching of English, teachers may help students come to intellectual and ethical excellence along with developing knowledge, skills, and values to help them achieve the best of which they are capable. (TJ)