
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 31, 1994                   TAG: 9408240003
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: F5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THOUGHTS ON WORKING

``The work ethic is at the core of a healthy society, and the individual responsibility of doing a job, earning a living, and striving for improvement is crucial to restoring opportunity and self-respect to underclass Americans. We must replace welfare with work."

- Pete Du Pont, former governor of Delaware, in ``Conservative Manifesto," National Review, March 1994

``You just tell her what to do and she just goes at it. You'll never hear her complain."

- Rusty Kelley, Giles County High School athletic director about track star Jennifer Jeffers.

``North Cross instilled in me a good work ethic. They start working us hard early."

-Amanda Trostle, an aspiring writer.

``We must be unequivocal in letting all Virginians know that the work ethic and individual initiative will be the first order of business in breaking the cycle of welfare dependency.''

- Gov. George Allen speaking to welfare reform commission in May.

``If you could just dress out and practice once a week, you could probably get 500 or 600 kids out [for football]. But kids are working so they can go to the movies or for the cost of a date. I think a lot of these kids don't realize that they're going to have to work for the rest of their lives. They want that immediate gratification, to drive that car."

- Mike Smith, Hampton Group AAA coach.

``If we don't teach them to read, write, compute and have a good work ethic, they're not going to make it.''

- Pulaski County Superintendent Bill Asbury.

``Although the work ethic has, in some circles, fallen into disrepair and disrepute, the idea that honest work of any kind is honorable remains deeply rooted. The work ethic declares that one is not owed a living; one earns it."

- Charles H. Webb, Ph.D., a professor of English at California State University/Long Beach.

``We need to return to the American work ethic in schools: five hours per day of reading, writing (grammar and spelling), math, science, history, etc."

- John C. LeDoux, associate professor of engineering at Virginia Tech.

``Our workers are at least as good as we expected and probably a little better. They're more educated than in Jersey and are more interested in improving their education."

- Frank Pappert, vice president for finance with Rene Composition Materials, which relocated to the New River Valley.

\ The government entity with the lowest number of sick days per employee - 3.44 - is the Peace Corps. The second most healthy and/or diligent is the White House, at 3.51. ``Maybe if you feel important, you just get to work," a government employee told The Washington Post.

by CNB