The place and function of the humanities in the secondary school curriculum education are discussed, and reforms to raise the quality of humanities instruction are suggested in this collection of essays. Literature, history, and languages must be taught in secondary schools in order to provide students with a quality education. The essays are grouped under the topics of the need for humanities, teaching the disciplines, case studies, teacher education, and professionalism and quality teaching. Titles and authors of essays are: "The Uses of Humanistic Schooling" (Harry S. Broudy); "Language, Reasoning, and the Humanities" (Leon Botstein); "English Teaching and Humane Culture" (Robert T. Fancher); "Foreign Languages and Humane Learning" (Carlos R. Hortas); "Improving High School History Teaching" (Clair W. Keller); "Teaching the Humanities: The Ideal within the Real" (Scott Colley); "The Diminished Past: Conditions and Ideals in the Scoial Studies" (Gilbert T. Sewall); "On a Background for Teachers" (Peter R. Pouncey); "The Intellectual Lives of Teachers" (Edwin J. Delattre); "Teacher Education and the Predicaments of Reform" (Gary Sykes); "Teachers and Professionalism" (Jon Moline); "The State's Responsibility for Teacher Quality" (John T. Casteen); "Epilogue: A School Administrator's View" (Peter R. Greer); "Conclusions and Recommendations: High Expectations and Disciplined Effort" (Chester E. Finn, Jr., and Diane Ravitch). A bibliography of materials for further reading is included. (RM)