Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963): Season 1, Episode 1 - Beaver Gets 'Spelled' - full transcript
Beaver, now in the second grade, receives a note from his new teacher, Miss Canfield, who is new to teaching the second grade, to take home to his parents. His friends convince him that a note from a teacher can only mean something bad, and further convince him that that something bad is that he is going to be expelled. He is further convinced after talking to his brother, eighth grade Wally. Scared, Beaver does whatever he can to lose the note, but still convince Miss Canfield that there is good reason why he hasn't given the note to his parents. Wally tries to help Beaver deal with the matter. Beaver's made up story to Miss Canfield plus Wally's action lead to a series of misunderstandings, which in turn leads to Beaver taking what he believes is the last gasp measure not to be punished for being expelled.
[Ward Narrating]
When you were young,
you had your own set of values—
values that nothing could change.
An ice-cream (one was
a sno-capped mountain of sheer delight.
An autographed baseball
was more precious than rubies.
And a note from the teacher
meant only one thing— disaster.
And that’s our story tonight
on Leave It To Beaver.
[Announcer]
Leave It To Beaver.
Starring Barbara Billingsey,
Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow...
and Jerry Mathers as the Beaver.
[Girl]
"Mother and Father went to the picnic
“Alice and I...
“went with Mother and Father
to the picnic.
“Mother and Father had fun
at the picnic.
“Alice and I had fun at the picnic.
We all had fun... at the picnic.”
That's very good, Judy.
Now can anyone tell us
What a picnic is?
Harold.
A picnic is where you
go out in the country
and eat food off the dirt.
Oh, well, that's not bad.
What else do we know about picnics?
Theodore?
When we go on a picnic,
we eat hot dogs and “hamburglars.”
Hamburglars?
He means hamburgers, Miss Canfield.
Beaver always talks that way.
Oh. Thank you,, Theodore.
Now—
[Bell Rings]
That's all for today, class.
[Children Chattering]
Oh, Theodore?
Theodore, I —
My name's Beaver.
Beaver?
Is that your given name?
Yes, ma'am.
My brother “given“ it to me.
Well, in the classroom,
I'd better call you Theodore.
Yes, Miss Canfield
Theodore, I have a note here
to your mother and father.
You'll be sure to give it
to them, won't you?
Well, hadn't you better put that
in one of your pockets?
Uh—uh.
They're full of dirt for my turtle.
Oh.
What did she do to you, Beaver?
Didn't do nothing.
She just gave me a note to take home.
For your parents?
Sure. What's wrong with that?
You must have done
something really awful.
I don't remember it.
How about the time you hid
in the locker during fire drill?
Jackie Pryor took a note home
and was expelled.
I'll bet you're gonna get it.
They'll throw you right out of school.
Won't they throw him
out of school?
Thank you, dear.
Mm—hmm.
Well, no dessert, Beaver?
No.
No, what?
No, I won't have any.
You have a new teacher— Miss Canfield.
What's she like?
Uh, all right, I guess.
What happened at school today?
She called me Theodore.
Can I be “scused”?
Yeah, I guess so.
Well, Wally, uh, what about you?
How you like Mr. Wilkerson?
Oh, he tells jokes in class.
Funny jokes?
No.
— May I be excused too?
— Yeah.
I want you boys to take a bath tonight
before you go to bed.
Okay, Mom.
Don't forget.
Okay.
Wally, weren't we
supposed to take a bath
before we went to bed?
Oh, yeah.
Hey, Beave, uh— Well, what happened
to you in school today?
[Water Running]
Well, they remembered
to take their baths.
I'll get that.
You're gonna be expelled,
out of the second grade?
What gave you that crazy idea?
Miss Canfield gave me a note
to take home.
A note? Well, what's in it?
I don't know.
It's a note, all right.
There's a lot of writing in there.
Why didn't you give it to Mom?
I'm “a—scared” of what's in it.
But you don't know what's in it.
That's why I'm a—scared.
Wally?
Yeah?
Did you ever get a note from school?
Yeah, once.
What happened?
I had to go to summer school.
—Wally?
—What is it now?
Would they “spell“ ya
If you hid in a locker during fire drill?
I don’t think so.
One of the big kids from the third grade
said they just might “suspender” me.
Well, they did that
to a couple of kids last year,
but they're not gonna throw you out
unless you done something really bad.
What else did you do?
Well,
me and Billy Andrews
hid in the cloak room...
And jumped out at all the girls.
That's kid stuff.
They wouldn't expel you for that
They wouldn't even suspend you
Hey, weren't you sent out
of the cafeteria on Thursday?
Yes, but that wasn't my fault.
Larry Mondello pushed me,
and I bumped into Mr. Thompson's cocoa.
Maybe Miss Canfield
just has a grudge against you.
If she's gonna be mean,
mustn't she have a reason?
Of course not.
When you're an older person,
you don't have to have a reason to be mean.
Hey, you know something, Beaver?
What, Wally?
You'll be the first kid to ever be
thrown out of the second grade
in the history of the school.
Wally.
couldn't we open the note?
Of course not.
That'd be dishonest.
[Plug Pops]
Hey, Beave, can I borrow
some of your turtle dirt?
Sure, Wally.
It'll leave a ring.
[Boy]
Good—bye, Miss Canfield.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Uh, Theodore.
I found this under your desk
at lunch hour.
Uh, somebody must've
dropped it there.
Isn't this the note I asked you
to give to your parents last night?
I must've “gots” it.
Oh, you mean, forgot it.
I must've “forgots” it.
But, Theodore, you promised me
you'd give it to them.
Well, I was gonna,
but there was a fire.
What fire?
Our stove blew up.
Oh, dear. Was anyone hurt?
Yea— No. My big brother Wally
quick put it out.
He grabbed a “stinguisher.”
It went—
[Blowing]
Well, that's a shame,
but, uh, couldn't you have given your mother
the note after the fire was out?
She had to go bring back Dad.
He was in the hospital.
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
What's the trouble?
I think the doctor said
he's got symptoms.
Can I go home now?
I have to help my mother.
Well, of course.
I-I know how busy she is,
but do try and bring an answer
back from her tomorrow, hmm?
Yes, Miss Canfield.
Isn't that the little Cleaver boy?
Having problem with a note, Mrs. Rayburn.
He forgot to give it to his parents.
Well, they have such important things
on their minds at that age.
Well, I know he's upset.
It seems they brought his father
home from the hospital last night.
Oh, what a shame.
He's on our fathers' committee.
I'll tell you what.
Before I drive you home,
let me stop at the office.
I'll send him some flowers.
Hello, Miss Canfield,
Mrs. Rayburn.
Oh, Wally.
Quick thinking last night
with your father laid up.
Oh, yeah.
Well, that's funny. He looked
as though he didn't know
what I was talking about.
Well, he's in the eighth grade.
It's a stage they go through.
This note you sent home
with little Theodore—
He's not getting in trouble
in class, is he?
Oh, no.
We're having our fire prevention
pageant next month.
I want him to play
Smokey the Bear.
Oh.
J; [Whistling]
Mmm—mm!
Okay, what did you buy?
I didn't buy anything, silly.
It's what you did,
and right out of the blue.
Oh, darling.
I t overwhelmed me!
The new seat covers on the car?
No, silly. The flowers.
Oh, the fi—
They just came. Come on.
[Mouths Words]
Oh, Ward, they're lovely.
You haven't done this in years.
I still haven't done it.
I didn't send 'em.
Oh.
Well, then who did?
Huh. Maybe you have
a secret admirer.
I don't, but you do.
“Hope to see you back on your feet soon.
Cornelia Rayburn.”
Who's Cornelia Rayburn?
And when did she see you
off your feet?
The only Rayburn I know
is Mrs. Rayburn,
the grammar school principal.
Well, why would she send you flowers?
How should I know?
Maybe it's Arbor Day.
“Hope to see you
back on your feet again.”
Why, she intended this
for someone who is ill.
Well, I'll call her up tomorrow
and let her know.
Ward?
Mm—hmm.
Why don't you ever
send me flowers?
I'm the kind who says it
with seat covers.
Hey, how could you have lost the note
in the first place?
I don't know.
I didn't go anywhere.
I twas in my shoe
when I left school.
Then I went to the candy shop,
and then I watched the men
change a tire on a bus,
and then I helped johnny Cooper
look for four—leafclovers.
I couldn't have lost it.
Somebody must've “tooken” it.
Boy, you're in a mess.
If I don't bring an answer
to Miss Canfield,
she's gonna send for Mom.
Miss Canfield might even hit me!
Only the coach can hit you.
Wally, they're gonna “spell“ me sure.
If— What are we doin'?
We're writin' an answer to the note,
and wipe your nose.
How can we write an answer to the note
if we don't know what was in the note?
Look, it's from your teacher,
so it has to be something bad.
But I don't remember
what bad I did.
I'm writing an answer that'll cover
anything bad you ever did.
That's a good idea.
Do you think it'll work?
“Dear Miss Canfield,
“I have received your note
dated two days ago—
the one you sent home with Beaver.”
She calls me Theodore.
“The—
“O—
“dore.
“I have whipped him.
His father has whipped him.
“He is very sorry.
We are very sorry.
Your friend, Mrs. Ward Cleaver,
the Beaver's mother."
She calls me Theodore.
“I have whipped him.
“His father has whipped him.
“He is very sorry.
“We are very sorry.
“Your friend, Mrs. Ward Cleaver,
Theodore's mother."
I know the household must be upset...
with the fire
and Mr. Cleaver in the hospital,
but why would they punish
the little boy...
simply because I want him
to play Smokey the Bear?
Miss Canfield, this is your first term
with the second grade.
There's something you should know
about little boys and notes.
Yes, Mrs. Rayburn?
I think the best way
to clear the situation...
is to have Mrs. Cleaver
come in tomorrow for a little talk.
I'll call her this evening.
Hurry up, boys.
You're gonna be late for school.
[Door Closes]
Bye, Mom.
I'll be home right after school,
and tell Dad to bring home
the fish food.
Beaver!
Bye, Mom! I love you,
and I'll pick up my room later!
[Exhales]
[Sighs]
Mom, are you goin'
someplace today?
Yes, Beaver. As a matter of fact, I am.
I'm going down to your school.
Any idea why your principal
would want to talk to me?
Uh, maybe Wally done
something bad.
Bye!
Bye.
Mr. Cleaver and I'd be only too happy
to let the Beaver be in the pageant.
I'm sorry he misunderstood
about the note,
and I'm gonna speak to Wally
about his part in it too.
Well, I hope Theodore isn't too upset,
and I hope he'll be back
in school tomorrow.
Yes, well, good—
Back in school tomorrow?
But he left home this morning.
Isn't he here now?
Well, I'm afraid not.
Miss Canfield reported him absent.
Gee, that was over two hours ago.
Where do you suppose he is?
I wouldn't worry.
They never go far.
Oh, Ward. Do you really think
he's run away?
[Wally Shouting] Beaver!
No, but I'd feel a lot better
if we found him.
Beaver! Beaver!
Is he in there, Wally?
No, but he's been here.
Here's his lunch box.
Oh, wouldn't you know?
Didn't eat his tomato again.
Now look, Wally. I want you
to take us every place
you think he might be.
Okay.
Beaver? Beaver!
[June]
Beaver. Beaver.
Well, he was around here the other evening
Brought me a mason jar full of fireflies.
Don't believe I've seen him since.
These people looking for your brother
'cause he done something wrong?
We're looking for him
because we're his parents.
His parents, huh? Hmm.
You sure don't look like
he described you.
Beaver? Beaver!
[Ward]
Beaver?
Beaver/
No, Wally, I ain't seen the Beaver
in a couple of days.
He was in last Saturday
to borrow a can of grease off of me,
but I ain't seen him since.
Yeah, well— well,
thanks a lot, Fats.
Yes, much obliged, uh, Fats.
Yeah, they were here.
Been looking all over for you.
What've you been up to?
You won't say anything,
will ya, Gus?
Course not.
I'm running away
'cause I got “spelled“ from school.
Oh.
I gotta go now.
You won't say anything?
Not a word.
Thanks, Gus.
Say, Beaver, that father of yours—
You're sure he's the one
that run the whole navy during the war?
I don't know where else
he'd be, Dad.
Hey, uh, have— have you fellows
seen a little boy?
We just been playing.
We ain't seen anybody, mister.
[Sighs]
Well— Well,
he's about eight years old.
He's my brother.
Your brother, huh?
What's he look like?
You know,
he looks like a kid.
He was wearing jeans
and a blue sweater.
Does he have
a baseball cap on, lady?
Well, yes!
Would that be him up there?
Beaver, what in the world
are you doing up there?
— Sittin' in a tree, Dad.
— Well, come down out—
Ward, don't frighten him.
He might fall.
Uh, well, Beaver, come on down, boy.
Supper's ready.
Uh—uh.
Beaver, please come down
out of that tree.
I can't. You'll hit me.
He's been up there an hour, lady.
Well, we've been
looking for him all day.
Beaver, come on down here.
What's the trouble?
There's a boy up there
in that tree.
Oh, I thought it was a cat.
Come on, dear.
— Hi,Wally.
— Hi, Beave.
— You squealed on me.
— I had to.
You know how it is.
Theodore Cleaver, I demand
you come down out of that tree
this minute and stop this foolishness.
I’m not coming down.
You’ll hit me!
Well, you just better bet I—
Oh, why, Beaver,
you know we never hit you.
What about the time
I spilled the ink on the rug?
Uh, never mind.
I don't think he's coming down.
He'll come down, all right.
Beaver, you come on down out of that tree,
or I'm coming up there after you.
Uh—uh. I'm gonna stay here until I die,
and then you'll be sorry.
All right, I—
Well, all right, Beaver.
If you wanna stay up there,
I guess your father and Wally and I'll
just have to go home and have supper.
You're gonna leave me here alone?
time}
Well, that’s what you want
But if it rains, I'll get all wet.
Yes, I guess you will.
Maybe I better come home
and get my raincoat,
and then come back up here.
You know, that's a good idea.
Boy, when they get him home,
they'll really kill him.
I gave the Beaver a hot bath.
He was a little worse for wear.
[Chuckles]
I'm not in such good shape myself.
Ward.
Uh-huh?
Do you think he would really have
stayed up there until he died?
Sure. I would have
when I was a kid.
If you said you were
going to, you did.
Ward.
Uh-huh?
Oh, the note and the Beaver
being scared and running away—
You think Miss Canfield
will understand all that?
She might. I think there's
a pretty good chance
she was a kid once herself.
Theodore, you can catch up
with the rest of the class tomorrow.
You know now
what was in that note I wrote
to your mother and father, don't you?
Yeah. You wanted me to play
Smokey the Bear.
Well, that's right.
Why did you assume
that what I wrote in the note
was something bad?
I don't know.
Well, you must've had a reason.
Well—
Well, what?
I guess it was
'cause you're a teacher.
Well, Theodore, teachers aren't
the natural enemies of little boys.
You know, it's very hard
to be a good teacher.
Well, someone once said
that a good teacher is like a candle.
I t consumes itself
to light the way for others.
Do you understand?
Kinda, sorta.
You know, this is your first year
in the second grade,
and it's my first year too.
We could learn a lot from one another.
Would you help me?
I’ll try.
For one thing,
don't make the boys wear aprons
when we do finger painting.
Well, that's a very good suggestion.
I'll remember that, Theodore.
Miss Canfield,
will you do me a favor?
Sure.
Call me Beaver?
It's a deal, Beaver.
Can I go home now?
Of course.
Hurry up, boys.
You're gonna be late for school.
[Door Closes]
Bye, Mom. I'll be home right after school,
and tell Dad to bring home the fish food.
Beaver!
[Door Closes]
Bye, Mom. I love you,
and I'll clean up my room later!
Oh!
Hey!
— What's this?
— It's my shrunken head
Oh. So it is.
Why are you taking it to school?
I thought Miss Canfield might like it.
You know, I think she might too.
Here.
Bye.
When you were young,
you had your own set of values—
values that nothing could change.
An ice-cream (one was
a sno-capped mountain of sheer delight.
An autographed baseball
was more precious than rubies.
And a note from the teacher
meant only one thing— disaster.
And that’s our story tonight
on Leave It To Beaver.
[Announcer]
Leave It To Beaver.
Starring Barbara Billingsey,
Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow...
and Jerry Mathers as the Beaver.
[Girl]
"Mother and Father went to the picnic
“Alice and I...
“went with Mother and Father
to the picnic.
“Mother and Father had fun
at the picnic.
“Alice and I had fun at the picnic.
We all had fun... at the picnic.”
That's very good, Judy.
Now can anyone tell us
What a picnic is?
Harold.
A picnic is where you
go out in the country
and eat food off the dirt.
Oh, well, that's not bad.
What else do we know about picnics?
Theodore?
When we go on a picnic,
we eat hot dogs and “hamburglars.”
Hamburglars?
He means hamburgers, Miss Canfield.
Beaver always talks that way.
Oh. Thank you,, Theodore.
Now—
[Bell Rings]
That's all for today, class.
[Children Chattering]
Oh, Theodore?
Theodore, I —
My name's Beaver.
Beaver?
Is that your given name?
Yes, ma'am.
My brother “given“ it to me.
Well, in the classroom,
I'd better call you Theodore.
Yes, Miss Canfield
Theodore, I have a note here
to your mother and father.
You'll be sure to give it
to them, won't you?
Well, hadn't you better put that
in one of your pockets?
Uh—uh.
They're full of dirt for my turtle.
Oh.
What did she do to you, Beaver?
Didn't do nothing.
She just gave me a note to take home.
For your parents?
Sure. What's wrong with that?
You must have done
something really awful.
I don't remember it.
How about the time you hid
in the locker during fire drill?
Jackie Pryor took a note home
and was expelled.
I'll bet you're gonna get it.
They'll throw you right out of school.
Won't they throw him
out of school?
Thank you, dear.
Mm—hmm.
Well, no dessert, Beaver?
No.
No, what?
No, I won't have any.
You have a new teacher— Miss Canfield.
What's she like?
Uh, all right, I guess.
What happened at school today?
She called me Theodore.
Can I be “scused”?
Yeah, I guess so.
Well, Wally, uh, what about you?
How you like Mr. Wilkerson?
Oh, he tells jokes in class.
Funny jokes?
No.
— May I be excused too?
— Yeah.
I want you boys to take a bath tonight
before you go to bed.
Okay, Mom.
Don't forget.
Okay.
Wally, weren't we
supposed to take a bath
before we went to bed?
Oh, yeah.
Hey, Beave, uh— Well, what happened
to you in school today?
[Water Running]
Well, they remembered
to take their baths.
I'll get that.
You're gonna be expelled,
out of the second grade?
What gave you that crazy idea?
Miss Canfield gave me a note
to take home.
A note? Well, what's in it?
I don't know.
It's a note, all right.
There's a lot of writing in there.
Why didn't you give it to Mom?
I'm “a—scared” of what's in it.
But you don't know what's in it.
That's why I'm a—scared.
Wally?
Yeah?
Did you ever get a note from school?
Yeah, once.
What happened?
I had to go to summer school.
—Wally?
—What is it now?
Would they “spell“ ya
If you hid in a locker during fire drill?
I don’t think so.
One of the big kids from the third grade
said they just might “suspender” me.
Well, they did that
to a couple of kids last year,
but they're not gonna throw you out
unless you done something really bad.
What else did you do?
Well,
me and Billy Andrews
hid in the cloak room...
And jumped out at all the girls.
That's kid stuff.
They wouldn't expel you for that
They wouldn't even suspend you
Hey, weren't you sent out
of the cafeteria on Thursday?
Yes, but that wasn't my fault.
Larry Mondello pushed me,
and I bumped into Mr. Thompson's cocoa.
Maybe Miss Canfield
just has a grudge against you.
If she's gonna be mean,
mustn't she have a reason?
Of course not.
When you're an older person,
you don't have to have a reason to be mean.
Hey, you know something, Beaver?
What, Wally?
You'll be the first kid to ever be
thrown out of the second grade
in the history of the school.
Wally.
couldn't we open the note?
Of course not.
That'd be dishonest.
[Plug Pops]
Hey, Beave, can I borrow
some of your turtle dirt?
Sure, Wally.
It'll leave a ring.
[Boy]
Good—bye, Miss Canfield.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Uh, Theodore.
I found this under your desk
at lunch hour.
Uh, somebody must've
dropped it there.
Isn't this the note I asked you
to give to your parents last night?
I must've “gots” it.
Oh, you mean, forgot it.
I must've “forgots” it.
But, Theodore, you promised me
you'd give it to them.
Well, I was gonna,
but there was a fire.
What fire?
Our stove blew up.
Oh, dear. Was anyone hurt?
Yea— No. My big brother Wally
quick put it out.
He grabbed a “stinguisher.”
It went—
[Blowing]
Well, that's a shame,
but, uh, couldn't you have given your mother
the note after the fire was out?
She had to go bring back Dad.
He was in the hospital.
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
What's the trouble?
I think the doctor said
he's got symptoms.
Can I go home now?
I have to help my mother.
Well, of course.
I-I know how busy she is,
but do try and bring an answer
back from her tomorrow, hmm?
Yes, Miss Canfield.
Isn't that the little Cleaver boy?
Having problem with a note, Mrs. Rayburn.
He forgot to give it to his parents.
Well, they have such important things
on their minds at that age.
Well, I know he's upset.
It seems they brought his father
home from the hospital last night.
Oh, what a shame.
He's on our fathers' committee.
I'll tell you what.
Before I drive you home,
let me stop at the office.
I'll send him some flowers.
Hello, Miss Canfield,
Mrs. Rayburn.
Oh, Wally.
Quick thinking last night
with your father laid up.
Oh, yeah.
Well, that's funny. He looked
as though he didn't know
what I was talking about.
Well, he's in the eighth grade.
It's a stage they go through.
This note you sent home
with little Theodore—
He's not getting in trouble
in class, is he?
Oh, no.
We're having our fire prevention
pageant next month.
I want him to play
Smokey the Bear.
Oh.
J; [Whistling]
Mmm—mm!
Okay, what did you buy?
I didn't buy anything, silly.
It's what you did,
and right out of the blue.
Oh, darling.
I t overwhelmed me!
The new seat covers on the car?
No, silly. The flowers.
Oh, the fi—
They just came. Come on.
[Mouths Words]
Oh, Ward, they're lovely.
You haven't done this in years.
I still haven't done it.
I didn't send 'em.
Oh.
Well, then who did?
Huh. Maybe you have
a secret admirer.
I don't, but you do.
“Hope to see you back on your feet soon.
Cornelia Rayburn.”
Who's Cornelia Rayburn?
And when did she see you
off your feet?
The only Rayburn I know
is Mrs. Rayburn,
the grammar school principal.
Well, why would she send you flowers?
How should I know?
Maybe it's Arbor Day.
“Hope to see you
back on your feet again.”
Why, she intended this
for someone who is ill.
Well, I'll call her up tomorrow
and let her know.
Ward?
Mm—hmm.
Why don't you ever
send me flowers?
I'm the kind who says it
with seat covers.
Hey, how could you have lost the note
in the first place?
I don't know.
I didn't go anywhere.
I twas in my shoe
when I left school.
Then I went to the candy shop,
and then I watched the men
change a tire on a bus,
and then I helped johnny Cooper
look for four—leafclovers.
I couldn't have lost it.
Somebody must've “tooken” it.
Boy, you're in a mess.
If I don't bring an answer
to Miss Canfield,
she's gonna send for Mom.
Miss Canfield might even hit me!
Only the coach can hit you.
Wally, they're gonna “spell“ me sure.
If— What are we doin'?
We're writin' an answer to the note,
and wipe your nose.
How can we write an answer to the note
if we don't know what was in the note?
Look, it's from your teacher,
so it has to be something bad.
But I don't remember
what bad I did.
I'm writing an answer that'll cover
anything bad you ever did.
That's a good idea.
Do you think it'll work?
“Dear Miss Canfield,
“I have received your note
dated two days ago—
the one you sent home with Beaver.”
She calls me Theodore.
“The—
“O—
“dore.
“I have whipped him.
His father has whipped him.
“He is very sorry.
We are very sorry.
Your friend, Mrs. Ward Cleaver,
the Beaver's mother."
She calls me Theodore.
“I have whipped him.
“His father has whipped him.
“He is very sorry.
“We are very sorry.
“Your friend, Mrs. Ward Cleaver,
Theodore's mother."
I know the household must be upset...
with the fire
and Mr. Cleaver in the hospital,
but why would they punish
the little boy...
simply because I want him
to play Smokey the Bear?
Miss Canfield, this is your first term
with the second grade.
There's something you should know
about little boys and notes.
Yes, Mrs. Rayburn?
I think the best way
to clear the situation...
is to have Mrs. Cleaver
come in tomorrow for a little talk.
I'll call her this evening.
Hurry up, boys.
You're gonna be late for school.
[Door Closes]
Bye, Mom.
I'll be home right after school,
and tell Dad to bring home
the fish food.
Beaver!
Bye, Mom! I love you,
and I'll pick up my room later!
[Exhales]
[Sighs]
Mom, are you goin'
someplace today?
Yes, Beaver. As a matter of fact, I am.
I'm going down to your school.
Any idea why your principal
would want to talk to me?
Uh, maybe Wally done
something bad.
Bye!
Bye.
Mr. Cleaver and I'd be only too happy
to let the Beaver be in the pageant.
I'm sorry he misunderstood
about the note,
and I'm gonna speak to Wally
about his part in it too.
Well, I hope Theodore isn't too upset,
and I hope he'll be back
in school tomorrow.
Yes, well, good—
Back in school tomorrow?
But he left home this morning.
Isn't he here now?
Well, I'm afraid not.
Miss Canfield reported him absent.
Gee, that was over two hours ago.
Where do you suppose he is?
I wouldn't worry.
They never go far.
Oh, Ward. Do you really think
he's run away?
[Wally Shouting] Beaver!
No, but I'd feel a lot better
if we found him.
Beaver! Beaver!
Is he in there, Wally?
No, but he's been here.
Here's his lunch box.
Oh, wouldn't you know?
Didn't eat his tomato again.
Now look, Wally. I want you
to take us every place
you think he might be.
Okay.
Beaver? Beaver!
[June]
Beaver. Beaver.
Well, he was around here the other evening
Brought me a mason jar full of fireflies.
Don't believe I've seen him since.
These people looking for your brother
'cause he done something wrong?
We're looking for him
because we're his parents.
His parents, huh? Hmm.
You sure don't look like
he described you.
Beaver? Beaver!
[Ward]
Beaver?
Beaver/
No, Wally, I ain't seen the Beaver
in a couple of days.
He was in last Saturday
to borrow a can of grease off of me,
but I ain't seen him since.
Yeah, well— well,
thanks a lot, Fats.
Yes, much obliged, uh, Fats.
Yeah, they were here.
Been looking all over for you.
What've you been up to?
You won't say anything,
will ya, Gus?
Course not.
I'm running away
'cause I got “spelled“ from school.
Oh.
I gotta go now.
You won't say anything?
Not a word.
Thanks, Gus.
Say, Beaver, that father of yours—
You're sure he's the one
that run the whole navy during the war?
I don't know where else
he'd be, Dad.
Hey, uh, have— have you fellows
seen a little boy?
We just been playing.
We ain't seen anybody, mister.
[Sighs]
Well— Well,
he's about eight years old.
He's my brother.
Your brother, huh?
What's he look like?
You know,
he looks like a kid.
He was wearing jeans
and a blue sweater.
Does he have
a baseball cap on, lady?
Well, yes!
Would that be him up there?
Beaver, what in the world
are you doing up there?
— Sittin' in a tree, Dad.
— Well, come down out—
Ward, don't frighten him.
He might fall.
Uh, well, Beaver, come on down, boy.
Supper's ready.
Uh—uh.
Beaver, please come down
out of that tree.
I can't. You'll hit me.
He's been up there an hour, lady.
Well, we've been
looking for him all day.
Beaver, come on down here.
What's the trouble?
There's a boy up there
in that tree.
Oh, I thought it was a cat.
Come on, dear.
— Hi,Wally.
— Hi, Beave.
— You squealed on me.
— I had to.
You know how it is.
Theodore Cleaver, I demand
you come down out of that tree
this minute and stop this foolishness.
I’m not coming down.
You’ll hit me!
Well, you just better bet I—
Oh, why, Beaver,
you know we never hit you.
What about the time
I spilled the ink on the rug?
Uh, never mind.
I don't think he's coming down.
He'll come down, all right.
Beaver, you come on down out of that tree,
or I'm coming up there after you.
Uh—uh. I'm gonna stay here until I die,
and then you'll be sorry.
All right, I—
Well, all right, Beaver.
If you wanna stay up there,
I guess your father and Wally and I'll
just have to go home and have supper.
You're gonna leave me here alone?
time}
Well, that’s what you want
But if it rains, I'll get all wet.
Yes, I guess you will.
Maybe I better come home
and get my raincoat,
and then come back up here.
You know, that's a good idea.
Boy, when they get him home,
they'll really kill him.
I gave the Beaver a hot bath.
He was a little worse for wear.
[Chuckles]
I'm not in such good shape myself.
Ward.
Uh-huh?
Do you think he would really have
stayed up there until he died?
Sure. I would have
when I was a kid.
If you said you were
going to, you did.
Ward.
Uh-huh?
Oh, the note and the Beaver
being scared and running away—
You think Miss Canfield
will understand all that?
She might. I think there's
a pretty good chance
she was a kid once herself.
Theodore, you can catch up
with the rest of the class tomorrow.
You know now
what was in that note I wrote
to your mother and father, don't you?
Yeah. You wanted me to play
Smokey the Bear.
Well, that's right.
Why did you assume
that what I wrote in the note
was something bad?
I don't know.
Well, you must've had a reason.
Well—
Well, what?
I guess it was
'cause you're a teacher.
Well, Theodore, teachers aren't
the natural enemies of little boys.
You know, it's very hard
to be a good teacher.
Well, someone once said
that a good teacher is like a candle.
I t consumes itself
to light the way for others.
Do you understand?
Kinda, sorta.
You know, this is your first year
in the second grade,
and it's my first year too.
We could learn a lot from one another.
Would you help me?
I’ll try.
For one thing,
don't make the boys wear aprons
when we do finger painting.
Well, that's a very good suggestion.
I'll remember that, Theodore.
Miss Canfield,
will you do me a favor?
Sure.
Call me Beaver?
It's a deal, Beaver.
Can I go home now?
Of course.
Hurry up, boys.
You're gonna be late for school.
[Door Closes]
Bye, Mom. I'll be home right after school,
and tell Dad to bring home the fish food.
Beaver!
[Door Closes]
Bye, Mom. I love you,
and I'll clean up my room later!
Oh!
Hey!
— What's this?
— It's my shrunken head
Oh. So it is.
Why are you taking it to school?
I thought Miss Canfield might like it.
You know, I think she might too.
Here.
Bye.