Writer: John McGreevey.
Director: Lee Philips.
Music: Arthur Morton
The Substitute
"When I was growing up on Walton’s Mountain in
those years of the great Depression, for me and my brothers and sisters it was
a time of making do with the little there was; a time of stretching a nickel
till it bought a dime's worth, often a time of doing without. In such times
keeping children in school was just too much of a strain for many families, but
for my father educating his children had almost the same importance as feeding
and clothing us. I remember one day when the regular routine of our school life
was threatened".
The children are given their lunches as they go to
school, first kissing their father. At school, Miss Hunter asks John-Boy to
take charge of the class so she can call her brother-in-law after receiving
news that her sister has been in an accident. Afterwards, John tells the family
that there will be a school board meeting tonight, hoping to find a substitute
teacher. Elizabeth is scared that Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer will not get
out of the cave. John-Boy reassures her that they safely emerge from the cave.
John returns home later after Mrs. Evelyn Richardson
finds a teacher from New York City; Miss Megan Pollard, a daughter of a famous
professor. John admits that since they have the most children in school, it was
only right to house the woman. John-Boy moves to the barn.
Ben tells Grandpa that he is building a kite for the
Sunday school class kite contest. Grandpa offers to show him how to build a
good kite, and Ben hesitantly agrees. John-Boy kisses Grandma who tells him
that a “big” envelope arrived. John-Boy knows that a large-sized envelope means
another rejected article. When he becomes mad Grandma
says, “Silk is beautiful but nobody could sell me silk if I’m looking for
gingham.” Olivia asks John-Boy to pick-up Miss Pollard at the bus
stop.
At the Rockfish Station, Miss Pollard is about to
walk off when John-Boy drives up. Miss Pollard finds the rejected article on
the truck’s seat. She agrees to tell him why it was rejected. At home, she is
introduced to the family, but seems to stand off from the family. Olivia shows
Megan to her room where she tells Olivia that she prefers her meals in the
room. Elizabeth doesn’t think she looks like a teacher, while the others have
their own opinions.
On Miss Pollard’s first day, Mrs. Richardson arrives
to warmly welcome her. But Miss Pollard is cold to her. On the way to school
Elizabeth picks wild flowers for the new teacher. As Miss Pollard calls the
class to order, Jason and Elizabeth arrive late. She tells them that she will
not tolerate tardiness, not allowing them to tell their reason. Elizabeth
throws the flowers away. Miss Pollard gives the students aptitude tests so she
can evaluate them.
At mid-morning, John-Boy tells her that this is
their recess time, but she insists they continue testing. After class, the
children complain about the tests and the teacher, but John-Boy says they
really aren’t being fair to her. Miss Pollard walks alone behind the children
watching all of their antics. She takes her shoes off and walks across a log,
then sits and remembers back to her childhood. When she enters the house Miss
Pollard refuses to take tea with Grandma and Olivia, saying she has tests to
score. Ben shows Jason the kit he is building, but Jason insists he can help
him build a better kite.
John-Boy knocks on Miss Pollard’s door. She tells
him that his writing is completely undisciplined, a “jumble of raw emotions”.
Miss Pollard suggests he read the essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson to find the
necessary balance and style. The next day Miss Pollard finds that many students
are absent from class, including Adie Wilson. She tells the students (including
Martha Bronson, George Talbert, Jane Poster, Arthur Halfgood, and Betty
Andrews) to sit alphabetically. Lucile Younger asks to keep her seat, but Miss
Pollard ignores her request. John-Boy tries to explain, but she also refuses to
listen. Miss Pollard tells Ben that his test results show he should go back to
grade five. Ben is shocked and disappointed, and John-Boy comforts him.
Miss Pollard shows John and Olivia the results of
Ben’s tests. They request that she give him a verbal test, knowing he does better
when he talks things out. But she refuses. As she returns to her room,
Elizabeth walks down the steps dressed up as a grownup. Elizabeth tells her
that her Daddy will laugh when he sees her. The next day Miss Pollard asks
Lucile Younger a question but when the student doesn’t answer thinks she is not
paying attention. She tells Lucile to write a 100-word theme on the importance
of paying attention. Lucile runs out of the room, with John-Boy behind her.
That night in the barn Ben asks his father, “Do you think I’m dumb?” John tells
his son that he doesn’t allow dumb people in the family, and suggests he build
his kite the way he wants. Miss Pollard finds John-Boy having problems with
writing. She says he is surrendering to his emotions, like when he left class
today. John-Boy tells Miss Pollard that Lucile Younger sat in the front row
because she is hard of hearing. Megan asks John-Boy why nobody told her, and
John-Boy says, “We tried to.”
At class, Mrs. Richardson comes in to talk with Miss
Pollard with the trouble involving her and the school board. At home, John
tells Olivia and Grandma that half of the children are threatening to quit and
all of the parents are upset. Miss Pollard enters to tell John that she will
resign. John tells her that they need a teacher and they can work out the
problems. But Megan insists she will leave, not able to make the children like
her.
John-Boy thanks Megan for her help, now knowing that
he must include his feelings in his writings. Miss Pollard says that he did the
opposite of what she suggested. John-Boy remembers the Emerson’s essay on
self-reliance that said, “Trust your emotions.”
Grandma says the evening prayer, and afterwards Olivia tells Megan that is it
okay for adults to cry and show weakness. Megan insists she can’t rely on
anybody, but Olivia responds, “So you don’t get hurt.” Megan says
she feels younger than Elizabeth tonight, crying on Olivia’s shoulder.
In the morning, Miss Pollard asks the class if they
can start over like it is her first day of class. They return to their regular
seats and classes. Elizabeth walks to the front and introduces them to their
new teacher. After school, the family and Megan attend the Sunday school class
kite contest where Ben wins second prize for his kite. Miss Pollard gives
John-Boy a book on collected essays of Emerson.
"Ben's own personal kite won Second Prize that
day, the other three Waltons finished, as they say, "out of the
money", but nobody cared. In due time Miss Hunter came back, and although
everybody was glad to see her there were tears shed at the thought of losing
Miss Pollard. We had learned to know and to love her, and we were all the
richer for the time she had spent with us. I still have that collection of
Emerson's essays on my desk, and whenever I open its pages I'm carried back
again to those Depression years on Walton’s Mountain and the sound of those
voices of the past".
Elizabeth: Mama?
Olivia: Yes, Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: Do I have to wait until I'm 21 before
I'm grown up?
Olivia: Well, that depends. Some girls grow up
sooner, some later.
Elizabeth: Can you tell me when I'm a grown up?
Olivia: I won't have to tell you, honey. When it
happens, you'll know!
Elizabeth: 'Night, Mama.
Olivia: 'Night, Elizabeth.
Notes:
Miss Pollard’s father died while they were preparing
his works for publication. She is twenty-four years old.
Miss Hunter’s sister lives in Norfolk, Virginia with
her husband.
The son of John McGreevey, this episode’s writer, is
Michael McGreevey who plays Hobie Shank in The Braggart (season two,
episode eight) and writes the episode The Silver Wings (season eight,
episode ten).
Also appearing:
Miss
Rosemary Hunter (Mariclare Costello), Miss Megan Pollard (Catherine Burns),
Mrs. Evelyn Richardson (unknown), Lucile
Younger (unknown).
(synopsis
written by William Atkins and edited by Arthur Dungate)