Character is based on "objective high moral values," writes Elizabeth Hamilton, best-selling author of the Character-in-Action® books, and co-author with her husband David of the Character Builder Series of books. Talk to Hamilton, as we did, and you learn that she believes strongly in moral absolutes as the only base for true character.

"If character is based on anything other than moral absolutes,: she says, "you are left with an ever-changing commodity that defies every attempt at building. Imagine trying to erect a skyscraper on a foundation that keeps shifting. That';s exactly what you do when you try to build character on anything other than moral absolutes."

"What about character education ?" I asked Mrs. Hamilton. "You were a career teacher before early retirement. Did you use moral absolutes in character education?" For a moment, I though she might send me to the principal's office — although she was principal herself in four different schools.

"It's impossible to teach a character education program without absolutes," she told me firmly. "You can't teach children to show respect if you don't give them a solid understanding of respect — a benchmark, if you will — a point of reference. If you explain what you believe respect is, and then tell students to sort out their own definition of respect, they are sure to choose the path of least resistance. That's been happening too long already, which is why our society is sinking into a pit of moral decay. You have to teach children and teenagers that respect is as unchanging as the sum of 4 + 4 in traditional mathematics."

Elizabeth Hamilton's own professionally developed Character Education Program may be seen at www.character-in-action.com.