"The quiet strength of Waltons Mountain always seemed to shelter
our house from the rest of the world. In 1937 it was hard for our family and
neighbors to believe that we could ever be touched by the trouble that was
reaching out from Europe".
A newsreel is shown in the movie theatre
concerning Adolf Hitler. Erin, Jim Bob, and Elizabeth look on as John-Boy
wonders about the book Hitler wrote called Mein Kampf. They leave the
theatre after watching the movie Captains Courageous with Freddie
Bartholomew and Spencer Tracy. John-Boy talks with the manager, Nat
Clayton, who is pleased with his
advertisement in the Blue Ridge Chronicle. He gives Elizabeth a free sack
of popcorn. At the house, Rev. Fordwick confers about the Jefferson County Day
Program with Mrs. Brimmer, Buck Vernon, Esther, and Corabeth while Olivia and
John smooch in the kitchen. Grandpa wonders when the meeting will be over so he
can have supper. The children rush in talking about the movie and Adolph Hitler.
John-Boy thinks he is a fanatic, but Rev. Fordwick wonders why he [John-Boy]
would want to publish excerpts of Mein Kampf in his newspaper. The others
agree, not liking the idea of him placing Hitler’s writings in the local
paper.
John-Boy goes out that night to do research
at the library. Ben goes with him to help with finding advertisements. They drop
Jason off at the Dew Drop Inn. On the drive they come across some “neckers”.
They find out it is Mary Ellen and David Spencer. David tries to be sensible, to
take her home, but she doesn’t want to be sensible. Back home, Jim Bob is bored,
with nothing to do. Elizabeth shows Erin walking down the stairs with a book on
top of her head, training to be a model. She says she is going to enter the
Jefferson County Beauty Contest, headed by Zuleika Dunbar. Erin says they get to
wear bathing suits. John says she will not be allowed to “shimmy” around
half-naked in front of strangers. Erin becomes upset at not being allowed to
participate in the beauty contest.
At church that Sunday, the congregation sing
before Rev. Fordwick makes some closing announcements. The Jefferson County Day
celebration will be held next Saturday. He also says that the community must
protect its heritage. Then, he tells that the Blue Ridge Chronicle will
print excerpts from Mein Kampf by the innocent but misdirected efforts of
its editor. Fordwick mentions that Hitler has plans to replace the Bible with
his book.
John-Boy works in his office, having problems
with his writings. John enters the room, telling his son that he knows that
happened in church. John doesn’t think Hitler is going to cause trouble, but
John-Boy tells his father that soon any bit of important information will be
newsworthy in papers all around the world. He tells his father that Hitler says
the free press is “dribble”. John tells his son that he is proud of him, doing
what he feels is right.
Erin sits by the water’s edge when Grandpa
comes up at a full gait. He sees the sunken statute under the waters of
Druscilla’s Pond, and recites the poem Annabelle Lee. Erin wonders whom
he is talking to. She wonders why their family is so old-fashioned. She also
wonders why all the others can do whatever they want to expand their talents.
Grandpa says her beauty is her talent. Grandpa agrees to help in getting her
back into the beauty contest. She leaves, and he then wonders how he’ll
accomplish that goal. He goes over to Zuleika’s place, and listens to her sing
and watches her dance. They talk about the beauty pageant, offering him to be
one of the judges. He declines, knowing that Esther will not stand for it. He is
about to make a suggestion when Mrs. Brimmer walks up to her boarding house. Zeb
has repaired her rocking chair, and has brought it to her. She asks him if
John-Boy is still going to write about Hitler in his newspaper. Zeb says that he
is.
Mrs. Brimmer visits John-Boy at the newspaper
office. She asks him not to write the article because it will cause hatred in
the community. She remembers when her husband was alive. He was ‘Jew born’, she
says and no one knows about it on Walton’s Mountain. Being a Jew from Germany
during those days did not help in the United States. They kept on moving,
finally settling on Walton’s Mountain, and did not let their secret out. She
begs him not to print the story. John-Boy says what happened to her happened out
of ignorance. Ignorance is dangerous, and he must print the article to inform
his audience, and hope they will understand what he is trying to do. He promises
to keep her secret.
John-Boy goes to his advertisers to find out
why they are canceling on him. Olivia tells John that she is beginning to hate
that paper. Olivia is worried that John-Boy is going to get himself hurt.
Grandpa pushes Esther into the living room with the rest of the family for a
special performance. He announces Miss Erin Walton, the newest entrance into the
bathing beauty contest. She walks downstairs in an old-fashioned swimsuit, which
is covering almost all of her body. Olivia and John agree that she can enter the
contest. She hugs her father.
Mr. Clayton, at the movie theatre, says that
if his ad appears in his newspaper then he might be associated with the writings
of Hitler. He can’t afford negative publicity. As John-Boy goes to his car, boys
have tossed his papers all over the street and are running off yelling “Zig
Heil”. John-Boy and Ben prepare the Hitler article on the printing press. They
work throughout the night, finally printing out the title of the
article:“Hitler—A Fanatic’s Rise to Power”. In the morning, Ike and
Corabeth tell John-Boy that they do not wish to have any of his papers, not
wanting to be associated with such words. John-Boy walks off, saying he
understands.
The children have gone to the weenie roast of
the BYPU (Baptist Young Peoples Union). John-Boy says that the kids do some
courting at the weenie roast, but Grandma and Olivia disagree. John tells them
about the time they were together at the roast at Steeden’s Hollow. Olivia
changes the subject quickly. Just then Mary Ellen and David arrive, telling them
of a cocktail party (for the interns at the Biology lab) they just came from.
The drinks were only punch. Just then a brick is thrown through the front
window. John, John-Boy, and David go after them. The note attached to the brick
contains the Nazi Swastika. John tells his son that he can’t let this to
continue; he must protect his family.
The family attends the beauty pageant.
Zuleika announces “Miss Erin Walton, from Walton’s Mountain” and she walks on
the stage in her swimsuit. (What are those things in her hair?) As the contest
continues Rev. Fordwick asks to talk with John-Boy. John-Boy says, “some storm
trooper paid them a visit”. John-Boy says he will succumb to public pressure and
will not print anything more controversial than the weather. Fordwick says he is
planning a get-together after the contest. John-Boy agrees to attend. Zuleika
announces the winner: Miss Florabelle Tait. Erin is visibly disappointed but tries to
maintain a smile on her face. After she walks off stage, the family
congratulates her. Erin is upset, saying the John-Boy has turned the community
against the family. John-Boy has ruined her chances to be someone. John-Boy goes
to her sister, saying he was not his fault. She won’t listen to him.
At the get-together, the community sing
around a roaring fire as Jason accompanies on his guitar. Rev. Fordwick talks
about the violent acts recent in the community. He says that the Nazis have been
burning our American books. Buck Vernon has found a copy of Mein Kamph,
and he proposes a symbolic book burning here on Walton’s Mountain. Vernon puts a
whole pile of German books on the fire. John-Boy rushes toward the two men,
telling them to stop, that what is going on in Germany and Walton’s Mountain is
not too different right now. John-Boy says he was just trying to inform the
community about a dictator trying to take over the world. He is trying to
preserve their freedoms by informing them of what is being written about in the
world. He looks down and sees a particular book. He picks up the book, wondering
if someone here could read German. Mrs. Brimmer walks up.
John-Boy asks her to read the first few
sentences of the book in German. He then asks her to read the same passage in
English. Mrs. Brimmer reads, “In the beginning God created heaven and earth,
and the earth was without form. And void and darkness was upon the face of the
deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God spoke,
“Let there be light.”
Mrs. Brimmer and John-Boy emotionally face
each other. John-Boy abruptly turns to Rev. Fordwick, handing him the book: the
Bible. Rev. Fordwick says that these books (Mein Kamph and the
Bible) should be placed in good hands, and hands him them to John-Boy.
Rev. Fordwick concludes the ceremony with the singing of Faith of Our
Fathers.
"My first experience at expressing an unpopular idea nearly
turned into a disaster. Fortunately, my family was able to overcome the problems
I had helped create for them. The troubles soon died down when people realised I
was only trying to let them know that something was stirring in the world that
even Waltons Mountain could not keep out of".
Notes:
The year is 1937 according to the introduction and because the movie Captains Courageous was released in 1937.
Information about Mein
Kampf can be found at: http://www.hitler.org/writings/Mein_Kampf/.
Information about the 1937
movie Captains Courageous can be found at: http://www.filmsite.org/capt.html.
The lyrics of Faith of Our
Fathers can be found at: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/a/faithoof.htm.
Jenny Carter and Ben were
necking at Steeden’s Hollow
during the BYPU.
Jason: Ben?
Ben: Uh hm?
Jason:
How was the Baptists Young Peoples picnic?
Ben: Well I was just
there part of the time.
Grandma: Where were you the rest of the
time?
Elizabeth: He and Jenny Car went for a walk -
Erin: -
up to Sneedums Hollow.
Grandma: What were you doin' up
there?
Elizabeth: They were necking.
Grandma: Good
Lord!
Jason: That's enough out of you, Elizabeth!
John:
Nothin' changes, does it 'Liv!
Olivia: Go to
sleep!
Also appearing:
Ike and Corabeth Godsey (Joe Conley and Ronnie Claire Edwards); Rev. Matt Fordwick (John Ritter); Mrs. Brimmer (Nora Marlowe); Zuleika Dunbar (Pearl Shear); Buck Vernon (Barry Cahill); David Spencer (Robert Merritt Woods); Nat Clayton (Jason Wingreen), Florabelle Tait (Jennifer Rogers); Vandal #1 (Don Carter); Vandal #2 (Larry Hayden); Newsreel Announcer (Art Gilmore).