"Schools of Hope" seeks to resurrect the historic, liberally educating vision of arete, or all-around human excellence, as the only proper and realistic goal for preparing today's students for their future. It is based on the assertion that only students who can think creatively will grow, mature mentally, and adapt. From this perspective, schools can be turned around by beginning with the development of character in students. Principles are offered for creating classrooms that educate students ethically and intellectually. Part 1 describes teachers' and students' attitudes toward each other and schools today. Part 2 reconstructs education's vision of human excellence. The third part relies on the model of maturing to suggest ways in which schools can be reconstructed. Four schools that used the model of maturing to change school climate and to achieve excellence are described. The final chapter offers practical steps to create "schools of hope." Ten tables and one figure are included. Appendices contain a model of maturing attributes and a list of educational principles that contribute to maturing. (Contains 364 references.) (LMI)