With very little fanfare, the teachers’ contract has been settled. A press release issued this week by the Harvard Teachers Association said that both sides had compromised to develop “a fair and competitive salary schedule while operating within the constraints of current revenue projections.”

With bleaker-by-the-week budget predictions at both the state and local levels, and daily reports of losses in the stock market and worldwide economic instability, it is heartening to see people working together toward reasonable solutions, acknowledging the limits brought about by tough times.