The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966): Season 1, Episode 31 - Do You Trust Your Child? - full transcript

Well, it isn't a
question of that, Helen.

Alex would love to make
a speech for the PTA,

but I don't think he's free
on Thursday afternoon.

Oh, I hope he will be.

The subject of parent-child
relations is so important,

and Alex would
make an ideal speaker.

Well, he'll be very
flattered by your invitation,

but you better not count on him.

I think you ought to start
thinking about someone else

in case he can't make it.

I have thought about it, and
I have somebody in mind.



Oh, good. Who is it?

You.

You're not serious.

Well, of course I'm serious.

What's so funny?

What makes you
think I'm qualified

to speak on that subject?

You're a doctor's wife,
and you've been a nurse.

And most important,
you're a mother.

That should qualify you.

No, I'm afraid not, Helen.

You made a wonderful report
at the PTA meeting last month.

But that was on bicycle safety.
I knew what I was talking about.

I researched the subject.
And, besides, Jeff helped me.



Well, I've got to dash.
You research this subject.

Get Alex to help you.

I'm going to concentrate
on what I can do best...

Talking Alex into doing it.

If her temperature stays
normal for 24 hours,

she can go out
tomorrow afternoon.

Anytime, Mrs. Yoon,
anytime. Don't hesitate.

Anytime, Mrs. Stone,
anytime. Don't hesitate.

I'm sorry to bother you, dear,

but are you going to be free
next Thursday afternoon?

I'll be at the clinic
Thursday afternoon.

Well, it's Helen Brooks,

and she wants you to
speak at a PTA meeting

on parent-child relationships.

Can't she find someone
to pinch-hit for me?

Well, she already
has someone in mind.

Who?

Me.

What do you mean by that?

Nothing, nothing.

Well, after all, I
am a doctor's wife,

and I've been a nurse.

And, most important,
I'm a mother,

which is pretty good
training in this particular field.

The best.

I could research the subject.

And after all, I do have
a few ideas of my own

which seem to work
pretty well with our children.

I can't quibble with that.

And if the committee thought
enough of me to invite me,

I certainly ought to give
it serious consideration.

Of course, dear, sure.
Where are you rushing to?

To tell Helen Brooks that I will
give that talk before the PTA.

"If we want our teenagers
to become responsible adults,

we must give
them responsibility.

We cannot keep them
perpetually hemmed in

by a wall of do's and don'ts

and expect them to learn to
make decisions on their own

in a confident,
intelligent manner.

Now, I know that teenage life

sometimes seems
filled with perils..."

Peril?

"Teenage life seems
filled with hazards."

Yes, "hazards."

"Filled with hazards."

"And none of us is immune from
the occasional worrisome thought

that a wrong decision by
an adolescent youngster

might be costly.

Now, to such worriers,
I say, 'Have faith. ""

"Have faith."

You look so profound with
that lecture-hall expression.

Where did you get these ideas?

From a book in your office
written by a man you said

was the outstanding
authority in his field.

Hi!

Can I have a $2 advance
on my allowance?

What do you want it for?

Do I have to tell you?
It's kind of personal.

Certainly.

The Hilldale Bank doesn't make
loans without asking questions.

On the other hand, the Stone
Loan and Trust Company

looks at it quite differently.

We emphasize the "trust" part.

Well, your credit must be
awfully good, young man.

No collateral or anything.

One... two.

Thanks a lot.

It's been a pleasure
doing business with you.

Bye!

Well, I see you're applying
what you learned in the book

to what is sometimes
known as the crucible of life.

Well, what's wrong with that?

One book does not an
education make, Donna.

Darling, the book only
made me understand

what I'd already
learned from experience.

Darling, all I want
to do is point out

that addressing a
group of mothers

on the subject of their children

is a pretty delicate matter.

You know, every
mother has her...

Dr. Stone speaking.

"To such worriers,
I say, 'Have faith.'

Not blind faith,

but a reasonable,
intelligent confidence

based on the fact that...

Your child has already absorbed
your moral values and judgments

during the 12 or 14 or 16 years

he or she has
spent living with you.

Now, arbitrary
despotism by the parent

is a challenge flung
at the teenage spirit,

urging it to rebel.

You won't get into
such a situation

if you ask yourself
the question,

'Do you trust your child? ""

For me? Gee,
thanks! What'd I do?

Jeff, it's for Mother

in case she needs some
cheering up after her speech.

You think it was a bomb, huh?

Of course not.

We just thought she might be
a little nervous from the strain,

and we want to be
considerate of her feelings

if she comes
home a little jumpy.

Okay, Dad, you can count on
me to turn on my sunny personality.

What will you take
to turn it off, Jeff?

Well, hi, everybody.

- Hi, Mom.
- Hi, darling.

Oh, coffee. How
thoughtful of you.

Was it a bomb, Mom?

Well, I don't think so,
Jeff. I think it went very well.

Then I guess you can do
without my sunny personality.

I'll just take this
piece of cake here.

Really? You think it
was successful, huh?

Oh, yes, dear. Why
are you so surprised?

Well, I think that's
wonderful, Mother.

I'm not surprised.
I'm delighted.

Sit still. I'll get it.

- Well, who made the coffee?
- I did.

Dr. Stone speaking.

Oh, yes, Mrs. Ryan.

Yes. Just a moment, please.

- Mrs. Ryan.
- Yes, thank you.

Hello, Mrs. Ryan.

Oh, why, thank you.

You did?

Well, of course, I was nervous.

Really?

Well, thank you for
calling. Goodbye.

Mary, would you please?

Thank you, dear.

Hello?

Well, any of the mothers
challenge your authority?

Challenge?

Why, I don't know what you mean.

Mother, it's for you.

Oh, thank you, dear.

Excuse me.

Hello?

Oh, thank you, Mrs. Johnson.

Yes, I saw you.

I'm sorry we didn't
have a chance to talk.

Oh, thank you.
Thank you for calling.

Bye.

Well, how nice of you to
have coffee and cake for me.

Whatever made you think of it?

Inspiration. Sheer inspiration.

That's probably for me.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

I wouldn't be surprised.

Hello.

Yes, Lillian.

You did?

Oh, I'm so glad.

Well, hello, Helen. How are you?

I'm fine, Alex, but I'm
worried about Nancy.

Nancy? Well, come on into
the office. We'll talk it over.

Well, actually, I
came to see Donna.

Donna?

Yes, I want to consult
her about Nancy.

- Oh, well...
- Hello, Helen.

Oh, Donna, I must talk to you.

Well, of course.

Come right in, dear.

And so I've been out
of my mind with worry.

And when I heard
your speech yesterday,

I knew that you were the
one who could help me.

Well, Helen, now, tell me,
what's happened to Nancy?

A boy named Leonard.

Oh, Helen, we mothers
can't let ourselves get upset

every time our girls
get a new crush.

But you don't know Leonard.

He's like nothing you
have ever seen or heard.

I don't pretend to
understand him myself,

but every instinct tells
me he's wrong for Nancy.

Well, now, does Nancy
know how you feel about him?

Yes, and it doesn't
matter to her at all.

Leonard has her hypnotized.

Oh, Helen, I'm sure
you're exaggerating.

Leonard is an exaggeration.

She has a date with him tonight,

and I've been thinking of
locking her up in her room

so she can't get out.

Tonight?

Well, I think she has a double
date with Mary and Herbert.

So, you see, you have
nothing to worry about.

You have nothing to worry about.

Mary's date's with Herbert.

Nancy will be with Leonard.

Oh, how can I get her
to stop seeing that boy?

Helen, it's just a
question of whether or not

you really believe what
I said in my speech.

The more you oppose Leonard,
the more Nancy will cling to him.

Now, just give her
an evening with him...

With your blessings...

And without the glamour
of being forbidden,

and she'll find out that
Leonard is just another boy.

I suppose it's the
sensible thing to do, but...

But what?

I hope it works.

Oh, of course it'll work.

Well, thanks, Donna. Bye.

Bye, Helen.

I hope so, too.

Darling, have you
considered the possibility

that things might not work out

exactly as you
promised Helen Brooks?

Well, the advice I gave
her was perfectly sound.

Well, sometimes
unpredictable elements

have a way of double-crossing
the soundest advice.

Oh, that must be Nancy
Brooks and her date.

Well, I look forward to
meeting this young man

who makes Helen's
blood run cold.

And her daughter's warm.

- Hello, Nancy. Come in.
- Hi, Mrs. Stone.

Mrs. Stone, this
is Leonard Glenn.

Leonard, this is Mrs. Stone.

- How do you do, Leonard?
- Good evening, Mrs. Stone.

Mrs. Stone, are you nearsighted?

Why, no, I'm not.

Really?

I have a theory.

Incidentally, Mrs. Stone,
you have very beautiful eyes.

Why, thank you.

My theory is that
there's a correlation

between what we consider
beautiful in the female eye

and nearsightedness.

That is, the very
handicap of being able...

Or not being able
to see distant objects

gives the eye the soft-focus
look that we consider beautiful.

Leonard has lots of theories.

He does?

Well, come on in.

Alex, this is Leonard Glenn.

- Leonard.
- How do you do, sir?

Hello, Nancy. Sit down.

Thank you, Dr. Stone.

Well, Leonard, sit down.

Oh, no, sir. I'd
prefer to stand.

I understand you
practice medicine, sir.

Yes, I do.

I enjoy meeting physicians.

I find them generally
fascinating conversationalists.

Well, thank you, Leonard.

I can think of a few who would
make you change your mind.

Oh, I imagine there
are exceptions, sir.

But as a group, I
believe that physicians

are on a higher intellectual
level than any other profession.

Thank you, Leonard.

That's why the backwardness of
medical science is so appalling.

It's true that there are
still unanswered questions,

but there have been
some advances.

Conventional medicine is based
on the mass murder of germs.

Never quite struck me that way.

But it is an original thought.

And who has ever proved
that the germ is the culprit?

Well, a man named Louis Pasteur

made a pretty good
start in that direction.

But, sir, aren't you
forgetting Lopez?

Lopez?

Pennington Lopez.

He's completely disposed
of Pasteur and his theories.

I'd be only too pleased,
sir, to lend you my copy

of the complete works
of Pennington Lopez.

It might open new
horizons for you.

Well, that's very kind
of you, Leonard, but...

Leonard, this
vase, it's very old.

I wouldn't want it broken.

Of course, Mrs. Stone.

That was a very interesting
thing you just said.

It was?

Well, you said that
that vase was very old,

and you implied that its age
made it more important to you

than if it had just been in
your home for a few days.

It's a common fallacy to assume

that age confers values
on persons and things.

Pennington Lopez?

No, sir, that's my own.

I believe I've gone
beyond Lopez in that area.

Well, Leonard, I hope you
place some value on wisdom

that comes from
age and experience.

I believe, Mrs. Stone,
what you're talking about

is maturity rather than years.

Do you know how old Juliet was?

Juliet who?

Juliet Capulet.

Is that the skinny blonde who...

No. Shakespeare's Juliet.

She was 14 years old.

Well, that was just a play,
remember... a work of fiction.

And, remember, too, how
badly things turned out for Juliet.

And Romeo.

Because of the immature
behavior of their families.

Leonard is reading the
Encyclopedia Americana

from Amon-Re to Zymotic.

Hi, everybody.

- Hi.
- Hello.

Leonard, this is Mary.

- Hi, Leonard.
- How do you do, Mary?

We have to stop
and pick up Herbie.

- I hope you don't mind.
- Not at all.

It's been a very
pleasant evening, sir.

It's very nice
meeting you, Leonard.

Well, have a good time, girls.

Thank you, Mother. We will.

- Good night, Mommy.
- Good night, sweetheart.

- Good night, Daddy.
- Good night, honey.

See you all later.

- Night, Nancy!
- Night!

Oh, it might
interest you to know

that my mother wasn't
much older than Juliet

when she eloped with my father.

Is that so?

- Good night, Dr. Stone.
- Good night, Leonard.

- Mrs. Stone.
- Good night, Leonard.

Is he for real,

or is he something
out of science fiction?

What did he mean
by that last comment

and all that talk
about Juliet being 14?

Alex, you don't
suppose he and Nancy

would do anything
as crazy as eloping?

Now, darling, there's no
point in upsetting yourself.

"To such worriers,
I say, 'Have faith.""

Dear, that was Helen Brooks.

After last night,

Nancy completely
lost interest in Leonard.

Well, just as you predicted.
Your luck's holding out.

Luck had nothing to do with it.

It was a sound theory.
I knew it would work.

- Morning, Daddy.
- Good morning, honey.

- Morning, Mommy.
- Morning, sweetheart.

Oh, Mother, I didn't know a
boy could be so fascinating.

Herbie? Fascinating?

It's not Herbie,
Daddy. It's Leonard.

Nancy is older than you are.

Well, in years, maybe, but...

Well, Leonard says
it's maturity that counts.

We just talked for
hours last night.

Nancy really doesn't
understand Leonard.

Who does?

I do, Daddy, and
he understands me.

Oh, I didn't think I
should invite him to dinner

without asking you first.

I'm delighted you didn't.

So he'll be here
right after dinner.

Good morning.

No, you may not have another
advance on your allowance.

Alex, I don't think Mary
should go out with that boy.

They're not going
out. He's coming here.

I mean, I don't think
she should see him at all.

All that talk about Juliet
being 14 years of age.

Would you like me to set up
barricades on the front lawn?

You're taking this very lightly.

Do you know what he
told Mary the other day?

That there are places in
this world where girls her age

assume all the
responsibilities of adult life.

Seems to me I've read
that somewhere, too.

Maybe in Pennington Lopez.

Well, you don't see any danger
in Mary's crush on Leonard?

Only in the danger he
might talk her to death.

And Helen said
that his whole family

is addicted to early elopements.

Oh, darling, I think we can
rely on Mary's good judgment.

Why, just the other day,

there was a speaker
at the PTA meeting

urging parents to trust
their teenage children.

You should've been there.
I hear she was a smash.

I'll get it.

Be brave.

- Well, good evening, Leonard.
- Good evening, sir.

This is my copy of the complete
works of Pennington Lopez

I promised to lend you.

Well, thank you.

I'll cherish it.

- Darling?
- Yes?

- You remember Leonard.
- Yes.

You made an indelible impression
upon me the first time we met.

Thank you.

I just lent Dr. Stone my
copy of Pennington Lopez.

I'd like you to feel free
to read it, too, Mrs. Stone.

I think you'll find his
views on juvenarchy

especially interesting.

On what?

Civilization has failed in
its search for leadership.

Matriarchy and patriarchy
have been tried and have failed.

Juvenarchy is the
rule of the young.

Are you sure we
don't have that now?

Everyone agrees that the
future belongs to the young.

- Why not the present?
- Hello, Leonard.

Good evening, Mary.

Well, if you'll excuse us...

I just thought of a game

that I'm sure Leonard
would enjoy playing.

Four of us can play.

I was up early, so
if you don't mind...

Oh, darling, if you're
tired, just go on upstairs.

Three can play.

Mother, I don't think Leonard
wants to play a word game.

We can play two-handed.

Oh, I brought this
album of records over

to play for Mary tonight.

Perhaps we could play the
word game on Sunday afternoon.

Now, let's not
rush into anything.

This is an album of
recordings of nature music.

I think you'll really
find it interesting.

I'm sure I will, Leonard.

I imagine it'll be awfully dull
for you and Daddy, Mother.

Snails moving
and plants growing.

Oh, no, we'd love to hear it.

I could leave the
album with you.

Yes, and you can hear
it anytime you want.

Yes, maybe Sunday afternoon

while we're playing
the word game.

If you'll excuse us...

Yes, well, enjoy the music.

Good night, children.

Have fun.

There's a whole world of
music that we never hear.

Sounds made by
insects, plant life,

sounds too faint to be
heard by the unaided ear.

Don't you see, dear?

It boils down to a matter of
practicing what you preach.

You can't act like a watchdog.

I suppose you're right.

In a way, I'm being
unfair to Mary.

- Good night, darling.
- Good night, dear.

You're not going to sleep!

Why not?

But it's too early
to go to sleep.

I promise to worry
while I'm sleeping.

How about a good
game of cribbage?

No, thank you, darling.

Would you like a nice
warm glass of milk?

No, thank you, darling.

Well, I would.

How was the milk?

What was that?

That is a precious thing
not often found around here.

It's called quiet,
and I'm enjoying it.

Alex, I've thought this whole
thing over very carefully,

and I've decided that I've
been behaving very foolishly.

Yes, of course, dear.

I agree, darling.
Now, go to bed.

Alex, I've been very foolish
to allow that speech I made

to interfere with my
responsibility as a mother.

Now, that boy is down there
filling our daughter's head

with a lot of silly
and dangerous ideas,

and I'm gonna go down there
right now and send him home.

Now, wait a minute, darling.

Come in.

I thought you'd still be up.

- Where's Leonard?
- I sent him home.

You threw him out?

What happened?

Well, I'm sorry if I was rude,

but he just
wouldn't take a hint.

I yawned every two minutes.

But just a few hours ago,
you thought he was wonderful.

Well, that was before
I really knew him.

I guess I felt sorry for him

because Nancy's mother
was so mean to him.

Good morning, darling.

Oh, good morning, sweetheart.

Well, you have the happy
look of vindication about you.

Well, it is nice to know

that what I preached
worked out in practice.

- Morning, Daddy.
- Good morning, Mary.

Good morning, dear.

You were on the
phone rather long

for so early in the morning.

Oh, well, it was Laurie Gilbert.

They had a lot of
excitement at her house,

and she said the firemen
are still all over the place.

- They had a fire?
- Well, no.

What it was, it was Laurie's
kid brother and one of his friends.

They almost blew up the house.

Why would they want
to do a thing like that?

Well, what they wanted to do
was launch a rocket into space,

a homemade rocket
with homemade fuel.

Laurie's father said they
had enough explosives

to blow up two houses.

I don't understand it.

Where would the children
get all those explosives?

Well, they were
saving up for it.

Of course, nobody knew
what they were saving up for.

Jeff!

You suppose that's what
he was saving up for?

What are you talking about?

Hi, everybody.

Good morning, Jeff.

Jeff, what did you do with the
money you were borrowing?

I used it to pay for
the Taylors' window

that Freddie Barrow and I broke.

Is that all?

Why didn't you
tell us right away?

You didn't have to
make a secret of it.

I'll get it.

Well, I know that, Dad,

but, you see, Freddie was
afraid his folks would raise a fuss,

and I figured I had
to go along with him

until the window was paid for.

I laid out Freddie's share, too,

'cause he couldn't get
the money from his folks

without a lot of explaining.

They don't trust their
kids the way you do.

Mother, it was the
Hilldale Women's Club.

They heard so much about your
speech that they want you to...

The answer is no.