Appendix C

 

Appendix "C": Synopsis of Sample Programs

Wally's Girl Trouble (1957, #005): Wally and Beaver, who would rather go fishing than to dancing class, concoct a plan whereby Beaver will pretend to sprain his ankle so they can leave the class early. However, once at the class, Wally meets Penny Jameson, and attractive girl who mesmerizes him with her flattering remarks. Beaver is devastated when his older brother decides he would rather do things with a girl than with his younger sibling. Despite the fact Wally has abandoned him, Beaver cuts the grass, (Wally's chore), to try and win his brother's approval, and to prevent Wally from getting into trouble with Ward. The next day, Wally is forced to chose between fishing with Beaver and seeing Penny. When Wally suggests to Penny that he bring his brother with them to the soda shop, Penny tells him she doesn't want any "grubby little infants" tagging along. Wally comes to Beaver's defense and has an argument with Penny. Beaver is upset he has caused this problem between Wally and Penny, so he goes to Ward for advice on how to "make-up" with girls. Ward tells him a meaningful present often works wonders. The most meaningful possession Beaver has is his pet frog Herbie. He has the frog gift-wrapped and takes it to Penny telling her is it a peace-offering from Wally. Penny is devastated when she opens the gift, and calls Wally to tell him she never wants to see him again. While Beaver is upset he has lost his best frog, and Wally that he lost Penny, both boys come to the conclusion they can always find another frog and another girl.

Part Time Genius (1957, #006): While taking an intelligence test at school, a new student (Charles) switches his paper with Beaver's resulting in the mistaken idea that Beaver is a genius. When the hoax is discovered, Charles reveals he doesn't want to be classified as a "brain" and would rather be a "regular and popular kid" like Beaver.

New Neighbors (1957, #007): When the Donaldson's move in next door, June sends Beaver over with a bouquet of flowers. Mrs. Donaldson gives Beaver a kiss in return. Eddie Haskell, who has observed this display of affection, tells Beaver he cannot kiss a married woman. Eddie further compounds the problem by telling Beaver his life is in danger because of the violence perpetrated by jealous husbands. When Beaver is invited to the Donaldson's to meet their niece that evening he runs away because of his fear of Mr. Donaldson. The situation is resolved when Beaver tells Mr. Donaldson why he is afraid, and receives permission to kiss Mrs. Donaldson whenever he wants.

The Haircut (1957, #008): After receiving a stern lecture from Ward for losing his lunch money all week, Beaver is given $1.75 to get a haircut before the Christmas pageant. On the way to the barbershop, Beaver manages to lose the money. Fearful of telling his father, Beaver cuts his own hair with the assistance of his older brother Wally. The result, of course, is disastrous. A solution is found whereby Beaver wears a toque during the pageant to hide his haircut.

Brotherly Love (1957, #009): Fed up with the constant bickering an fighting between Wally and Beaver, June makes the boys sign a friendship pact promising to spend their time in each other company. On the Saturday following the signing of the pact, Wally is invited by his friend Chester to a football game, and Beaver is given the opportunity to go fishing with Gus the volunteer fireman. Since neither boy wants to be the first to break the pact, and disappoint their mother, they each attempt to outwit the other so they can pursue their separate interests. As a result, Wally misses the game and Beaver doesn't go fishing. Recognizing the error of their ways, the following day, the boys visit Gus and he allows the boys to use his dinghy to go fishing together.

Perfume Salesman (1957, #010): Responding to an advertisement in a magazine the boys send away for a box of "Flower of the Orient" perfume which they hope to sell so they can win a movie projector. When the perfume arrives the boys are unable to sell the product because it smells like "a first baseman's glove". Ward intercepts a final notice from the perfume company requesting payment and helps the boys unload the fragrance by advance calling the members of June's women's club. When the "prize" movie projector arrives it is only a hand-held model and Ward replaces it with a real projector so the boys won't be disappointed twice by the same company. The boys, realizing what Ward has done, show movies to their friends and used the proceeds to buy him a gift (a mantle clock) to show their appreciation for all his help.

The Clubhouse (1957, #011): Stuck inside on a rainy day, Wally, Eddie and Tooey decide to build a clubhouse based on a suggestion made by Beaver. Eddie, true to form, says they should charge dues of $1 for boys in the eighth grade, and that Beaver (in grade two) can join for $3. Lacking the financial resources, Beaver asks Ward for the money. Citing Beaver's ever changing interests and short attention span, Ward refuses to give Beaver the $3. Left to his own devices, Beaver goes out to try and raise the money himself. After meeting a man with a sandwich board, Beaver makes his own and manages to raise $1.75.

Beaver's Short Pants (1957, #012): June has to go out of town to help her sister Peggy who has just given birth to a new baby girl. In June's absence, her spinster Aunt Martha comes to look after Ward, Wally and Beaver. Due to her old fashioned and traditional ideas she takes Beaver shopping and buys him a "proper" school suit complete with short pants and a cap. Beaver is embarrassed to wear this outfit to school, but had promised his mother he will do whatever Aunt Martha wants in order not to upset her. When Ward becomes aware of the problem he meets Beaver in the garage where he ahs a change of "normal" clothes. Ward's understanding and compassion solves the problem of Beaver's embarrassment and also ensures Aunt Martha is not upset.

Beaver's Crush (1957, #013): Beaver develops a crush on his teacher Miss Canfield. When teased by the other students that he is the "teacher's pet", he attempts to dispel their taunts by placing a coil snake in her desk drawer. His attempts to remove the "snake" before Miss Canfield finds it, (which includes sneaking out of the house at night with Wally to break into the school), are all thwarted. In class the next day, Beaver pulls on Judy's pigtails to re-direct the teacher's attention when she starts to open the desk drawer. During his detention, Beaver tells Miss Canfield that he pulled Judy's hair because he was responsible for the snake in the drawer. Miss Canfield realizes that teachers cannot show favoritism and admits, much to Beaver's amazement, that teachers can make mistakes.

The Paper Route (1958, #015): The boys ask Ward for a new bike which costs $52.98. After receiving a lecture on the value of money, Wally and Beaver head to the newspaper office and obtain a job as paper boys to earn the money for the bike. Another lecture ensures about the importance of job responsibility and the boys are warned not to rely on their parents to fulfill their obligations. During the course of the first week, June helps Beaver deliver the papers when Wally is delayed by a ball practice, and Ware helps Wally during a rainstorm. Both boys are admonished by the assisting parent, not to tell the other. On Saturday the boys prepare their extra/undelivered papers form the previous week for return to the newspaper office and go off to play while waiting for the Saturday delivery truck. Ward and June see the packaged papers and assume the boys have abandoned their responsibility. They proceed to deliver the papers destined for return. This in turn prompts numerous calls to the newspaper office from disgruntled customers who complain they have received out of day papers. Wally and Beaver lose their job until Ward intercedes on their behalf, accepts the blame for the error, and has them re-instated.

Party Invitation (1958, 016): Linda Dennison, a girl in Beaver's class, has developed a crush on the Beaver and invites him to her birthday party. Upon checking with his friends, Beaver finds he is the only boy invited to the party and decides against going. Unbeknownst to Beaver, June has found the invitation in Beaver's pocket and accepted on his behalf. On Saturday, despite Beaver's protestations, Ward forces him to attend the party. Beaver sticks it out until the girls decide to play "post-office" - when he promptly sneaks out of the room. After leaving the girls, Beaver encounters Mr. Dennison in his den, which is a male bastion complete with mounted animal trophies and a gun collection. Despite his initial reluctance to attend the party, Beaver arrives home happy because of Mr. Dennison.

Child Care: (1958, #018): Ward and June are accompanying the Wilson's to the wedding of a daughter of a mutual acquaintance. Unfortunately the Wilson's babysitter, for their four year old daughter (Puddin'), has cancelled at the last minute. Because Ward had bragged about how responsible and reliable his sons are, the Wilson's suggest that Wally and Beaver look after their daughter while they attend the wedding. Reluctantly, Ward and June agree to let the boys baby-sit. All goes well until Puddin' has to use the bathroom at which point she locks the door and refuses to come out. Despite the boy's best efforts at persuasion, and trying to climb through the bathroom window, they are forced to call the fire department to effect the rescue. Ward and June are not made aware of the situation upon their return. However, the next day Ward receives a call from a neighbor how provides full details. Ward decides not to confront the boys about the situation because he realizes they are in fact responsible and reliable.

Bank Account (1958, #019): Ward brings home a piggy bank to teach his sons about thrift and the value of money. He then proceeds to tell them when they have saved enough they can spend the money on whatever they choose. When they have saved $32 the boys decide to spend the money on themselves. However, Ward's advice is to put the money in their bank accounts. To further underscore the importance of saving, Ward tells them he would like a new hunting jacked, but will make do with the one he has in order to retain his savings. Wally and Beaver then decide they will use their money to buy Ward a new hunting jacket, as a surprise, to show their appreciation for their father. On school thrift day instead of depositing the money into their accounts, as they were supposed to, the boys each withdraw $10 to cover the cost of the $45 hunting jacket. Ward is livid when he learns through the school that the boys have disobeyed his advice. His attempts to encourage them to tell the truth result in failure and when a package arrives from the sporting goods store he intends to give them a lecture on lying and thrift - that is until he opens the package and has a whole new appreciation for his sons.

Lonesome Beaver (1958, #020): When Wally, Eddie and Tooey join the boy scouts, Beaver tags along only to find that he is too young to be admitted to the group. When Wally goes away on a scout camping trip, Beaver is left to his own devices and finds he has no one to play with because he was always dependent upon Wally. In this way, Beaver learns he has a responsibility to go his own way in the world and make his own friends.

The Perfect Father (1958, #021): Ward fears he is a bad father when he forgets a promise to take the boys to a sportsman's show because he is too busy, and they go with Mr. Dennison. This is further compounded when he becomes aware the boys are always playing basketball over at the Dennison's. To entice the boys back to the Cleaver's, Ward puts up a basketball hoop in his own driveway. When Wally and his friends come over to play, Ward goes out to give them pointers and winds up taking over the ball and alienating the boys. When he runs into Mr. Dennison at the country club he realizes that this "perfect father" is not even aware that the boys are playing at his house. Mr. Dennison points out, and reminds Ward, that boys learn from their peers how to play sports, not from fathers. Ward gets the message that there must be a proper balance of parental interference - too much involvement is as bad as, not enough.

Cleaning Up Beaver (1958, #022): Wally and Beaver have a falling-out over Beaver's lack of neatness. When Wally calls Beaver a pig, Beaver's feelings are hurt and he decided to move into a separate room so he doesn't have to be so neat and tidy. After a few hours on his own, Beaver is scared and comes back to Wally for help. After discussing the situation the boys decide they don't want to be separated and reach a mutually satisfactory agreement wherein Beaver will be neater and Wally will be sloppier.

The State Vs. Beaver (1958, #023): Wally and Beaver are attempting to build a motorized go-kart, but have little success until Ward comes along to provide his assistance and expertise. Ward gives strict instructions that the kart is only to be used under his supervision. The next day, when no one is home, Larry Mondello convinces Beaver to take the kart for a short drive around the block. When they do, they are stopped by the police for driving an unlicensed motor-vehicle on a public thoroughfare. Not wanting to tell his father, Beaver enlists Wally's aid to accompany him to the court as his guardian. The judge issues a stern lecture and leaves it up to Beaver to make the decision whether or not to tell his father, which of course, he does.

Beaver and Poncho (1958, #024): Beaver brings home a lost dog and wants to keep it. Ward reminds him that the dog belongs to someone and there is a responsibility to try and find the rightful owner. After placing an ad in the local newspaper, the owner contacts the Cleaver's to arrange to pick up the dog. Beaver, however, has grown so attached to the dog he takes it to school, (hidden in his jacket), so the dog will not have to be returned. In the end he is found out and Poncho is given back to his owner.

The Broken Window (1958, #025): Beaver and Wally break the living room window while playing ball and are told not to play around the house. The next day, despite the warning, the boys play ball in the driveway and damage the car window. Eddie Haskell tells the boys to simply roll down the window and feign surprise if they are confronted. Even though their conscience bothers them, the boys follow Eddie's suggestion. The following day, while out for a car ride, Beaver is told by Ward to roll up the window because of the breeze. Fearful of the consequences, Beaver delays until he finally confesses. When he rolls up the window the finds it has already been fixed because Ward thought he had broken the window when the closed the card door the previous evening.

Train Trip (1958, #026): When returning, by themselves, from a visit to Aunt Martha, the boys spend too much of their ticket money on candy and hot dogs and don't have enough to pay the fare home. They buy a ticket for as far as they can, and just stay on the train after they pass the stop. When the conductor comes to collect the tickets, they fabricate a fantastic story which causes the conductor to pay for the fare out of his own pocket. Unknown to the boys, a family friend is in the same car and relays the story to Ward that evening. When confronted by Ward, the boys learn that someone is always watching and they will eventually be caught if they don't tell the truth.

My Brother's Girl (1958, #027): A school dance has been organized and Wally prefers to go with Eddie as opposed to taking a girl. Mary Ellen Rogers, however, wants Wally to escort her to the dance and accomplishes this by befriending Beaver. After inviting Beaver over to her house on several occasions, she finally coerces him to bring Wally, whereupon she promptly ignores Beaver. She tells Wally, that like him, she doesn't really want to go to the dance either. However, since they are both in the same situation why don't they go together as they will have something in common. Beaver feels very left out and used by this girl and ignores her when she comes to the Cleaver house before the dance.

Next Door Indians (1958, #028): When Eddie Haskell tells his fantastic, but unprovable stories, Beaver becomes jealous. In order to steal some attention from Eddie, and be accepted by Wally's other friends, Beaver makes up a story about an ancient Indian battle being fought in the vacant lot across the street. Eddie bets him $1.50 it is not true and the boys gather in the vacant lot to dig for Indian artifacts. In the course of their digging they uncover some garnets which the boys think will make them wealthy. When Beaver takes the stones to Gus the fireman he finds out they are worthless as they are only used to make sandpaper.

Music Lesson (1958, #029): When Wally makes it to the baseball team, Beaver feels left out because he is too young to participate. June suggests Beaver do something that appeals to him so he decides to join the school band. He picks the clarinet because it looks easiest. After several days of practicing Beaver can play five notes of a song and doesn't make it into the band. He feels he will disappoint his father if he tells him he was chosen so he continues to pretend he is in the band. June finds the notice about the band concert in Beaver's pants and the whole family makes plans to attend. On the night of the concert Beaver still can't find the courage to confront his father. However, Wally intervenes and relays the truth, along with Beaver's fears, to Ward and June. Rather than make an issue out of a situation, Ward and June simply make up an excuse why they can't attend to avoid embarrassing Beaver.

Tenting Tonight (1958, #030): When Ward has to abandon his plan for an overnight camping trip with the boys because of work, Wally and Beaver decide to set up a tent in the backyard. Shortly after dark it begins to rain, but the boys don't want to admit defeat and go inside. They stick it out until midnight when they sneak into the house, (because Ward left the door unlocked), and then return to the tent at 6am pretending they spent the night outside.

Beaver's Old Friend (1958, #031): While cleaning up the garage Beaver finds his old teddy bear named "Billy". The bear is not only his first and oldest friend, but the one who saw him through the measles when he was all alone for extended periods of time. Ward and Wally convince him he is too old to be playing with stuffed animals and tell him to throw it out with the other trash. Beaver does so reluctantly, but comes back later to retrieve Billy only to be observed by three of his friends. Out of embarrassment, Beaver returns Billy to the trash can and feigns disinterest. When he returns he finds the trashmen have taken away the garbage and Beaver chases the truck and convinces the trash collector to pull Billy out of the garbage. He brings him up to his room and soaks him with June's perfume to remove the smell. The next day when Ward and June are in the boys' room they follow the scent and find Billy. June has him properly cleaned and repaired and returns him to Beaver, pleased that he has sun an emotional attachment to his "friend". Beaver subsequently gives Billy to Benji, (the little boy next door), who has come down with the measles because Billy is the best friend a boy can have when you get the measles.

Wally's Job (1958, #032): Wally offers to paint the trashcans for 50 cents each. However, when Ward forgets the paint, Wally finds other activities and the job is abandoned. Beaver volunteers to take over the job and Ward accepts his offer. This causes a fight between the boys when Wally thinks Beaver is cutting in on his territory. The situation is resolved when Ward suggests each boy paint one can.

New Doctor (1958, #033): Wally stays home from school with a sore throat. He is waited on hand and foot, gets a model airplane from June, a magic kit from his classmates, and ice cream from Ward. Beaver sees and opportunity to get some sympathy and some "loot". The next day Beaver feigns as sore throat, but unfortunately his plan doesn't work quite as well. It is only a half-day at school, his classmates bring homework, as opposed to a gift, and Dr. Richardson, the family doctor is away. Initially Beaver's big concern is whether or not Dr. Bradley, the replacement doctor, is a "needle" or a "pill" doctor. However, once Dr. Bradley conducts his examination and finds Beaver is not really ill, he delivers a lecture about the little boy who cried wolf. He then proceeds to tell Beaver he was wrong to feign illness for attention, and also because he called the doctor away from people who were truly sick and needed his assistance. As a result, Beaver confesses to his parents he wasn't really sick, and promises never to "cry wolf" again.

Boarding School (1958, #034): Wally is visited by Johnny Franklin, an old school friend who had go to military school. Johnny describes the life he leads at the military academy, which includes riding horses, marching, and participation in physical activities and sports. Wally begins to think he might like to attend the school to take advantage of the facilities. When he asks his father, Ward says Wally should do whatever makes him happy. As the time grows closer to making a decision, Wally begins to get cold feet especially when Eddie tells him is was probably a parental set-up to get him out of the house. When Beaver finds Wally crying he asks Ward why his parents don't love Wally anymore and want to get rid of him. Ward and Wally talk, and the decision is made that Wally will stay in Mayfield and attend the local public high school.

Beaver's Bad Day (1958, #035): After trying on his recently altered suit, June tells Beaver to go upstairs and change into his play clothes. Beaver becomes distracted reading a comic book and has still not changed his clothes when Larry Mondello calls. Not only does Beaver go out in his suit, but he also goes to the lot where a new house is being built, despite being warned to stay away. At the lot he and Larry construct a makeshift seesaw out of an old board. Eddie Haskell comes by and pushes Larry off the seesaw and Beaver rips his pants. When Beaver gets home he makes up a story about a dog ripping his pants, but his parents see the rust from the nail and Beaver is punished for lying. The next day on the way home from Sunday School, Beaver tells Wally what really happened and that Eddie claimed he could beat-up Wally with one hand tied behind his back. Wally decides to stop by the lot to settle the score with Eddie. In the course of the scuffle, at the lot, Eddie's dog rips Beaver's pants. When the boys arrive home, Beaver tells the same story as the previous day and once again both boys are punished for lying. Later that day, June is speaking to Mrs. Mondello and the story of the dog and the ripped pants is confirmed. Ward realizes he must apologized to the boys because he made a mistake by not believing them when they told the truth.

Beaver's Poem (1958, #036): Beaver comes to Ward with a request for help with his homework. Beaver is to compose a poem for school due the next day, but assigned three weeks earlier. Ward gives Beaver two lectures. The first lecture, on the necessity of not putting things off to the last minute. The second, not to always expect his parents will do his work for him. Despite having said this, Ward writes Beaver's poem and it wins an award. Ward explains to Beaver, he cannot accept the award because it is not his work. He then goes to the principal and explains the situation. Mrs. Rayburn's solution is to let Beaver write a new poem before the ceremony so he can accept the award with a clear conscience.

Beaver and Henry (1958, #037): When Ward and the boys set a trap to catch a gopher, that they believe is eating June's flowers, the instead capture a white rabbit. They decide to keep it as a pet and name it Henry. However, a few days later, "Henry" has babies. Ward tells Wally not to handle the newborn rabbits for fear of rejection by the mother. When Wally relays this message to Beaver it is too late as Beaver has already picked up some of the babies. Not sure how to tell his father, Beaver goes to see Gus the fireman to see if he can correct the situation. Gus tells Beaver to sprinkle all the rabbits with talcum powder so they will all smell the same. In addition, he suggested putting vanilla extract on the mother's nose to confuse her sense of smell. The plan works and Beaver is only found out because of the smell of the talcum powder - still Ward is proud of Beaver for his ingenuity.

Beaver's Guest (1958, #038): Beaver invites Larry over for the weekend. About an hour after his arrival the two boys have a falling out, and Larry wants to leave. Since his parents have gone out of town he decides he wants to go to his grandmother's. Ward is unable to drive him, so they call a cab to take Larry to his destination. By the time the cab arrives, the boys are playing again, the argument is forgotten, and Larry has decided to stay.

Cat Out Of The Bag (1958, #039): The next door neighbors, the Donaldson's, are going away for the weekend and have asked Wally and Beaver to look after their cat and water the lawn. Ward thinks this is too much responsibility for the boys and tells them not to come to him if they need help. Despite the fact this is a joint effort, Wally goes off to a carnival and leaves Beaver alone. Beaver puts the cat out in the yard while he goes to move the sprinkler. Unfortunately, he doesn't close the gate properly and Eddie's dog chases the cat. Beaver and Wally, fearful of telling Ward what happened, try to find the cat, but are unsuccessful. In the middle of the night, cat meows wake-up the boys and they are forced to get Ward to help rescue the cat from the tree. The boys tell Mr. Donaldson, when he returns, what happened and refuse payment because of their error. Mr. Donaldson tells Ward that the boys are little characters. While Ward agrees, he also thinks they are pretty nice little characters.

Ward's Problem (1958, #040): Ward promises to take Wally fishing on the weekend after backing out three times previously. The same evening Beaver comes home to tell Ward there is a school sponsored father and child picnic the same weekend. Ward is torn between the two boys and finally decides, Wally, as the eldest will understand that the fishing trip can be re-scheduled while the picnic cannot. Beaver, in the meantime, has concocted a fantastic story that his father cannot attend the picnic because he has to go to Washington to meet with the President. The school calls to express their regrets that Ward will be unable to attend and Beaver's story is exposed as a hoax. When Ward confronts Beaver about the lie, telling him how he changed his plans in order to attend the picnic, Beaver reminds his father he told everybody, (Wally and June), but didn't tell Beaver himself about the change. Ward acknowledges Beaver's falsehood by admitting he told everyone about his change of plans except Beaver. As a result, Ward realizes he left his son with no option but to fib, in order protect his father.

Beaver Runs Away (1958, #041): Beaver is playing in the garage with Ward's unplugged power drill and Larry suggests plugging it in a really using it. Against Beaver's better judgment the hold a piece of wood up against the side of the garage and drill right through the wall. Both boys leave to avoid the punishment that they know will befall them. When Beaver returns home he tells Ward what happened and tries to put the blame on Larry. Ward tells Beaver he is showing a lack of respect for his home, belongings, and parents by not accepting the blame himself. Beaver thinks Ward is too mean and decides to run away from home. After he leaves he hopes Ward will come after him and apologize, but he doesn't because Ward believes parents must retain some control over their children and cannot constantly cave in to their threats. Beaver only runs to Larry's house where he has supper and is eventually found by a greatly relieved June. When Beaver returns, he apologizes to Ward. As a reminder, Beaver asks Ward how he felt when he ran away as a kid and his father didn't come after him. Ward realizes he has forgotten when it is like to be a child.

Beaver and Chuey (1958, #042): Beaver has a new school friend Chuey who is from South American and speaks only Spanish. Despite the obvious language problems the two boys manage to get on quite well. Eddie Haskell suggests to Wally that he teach Beaver a nasty saying in Spanish to repeat to his new friend. Despite Wally's protests, Eddie sneaks away and teaches Beaver the Spanish phrase "you have the face of a pig". When Beaver repeats the phrase, Chuey runs home in tears and Beaver does not know why. Chuey's parents, also only Spanish speakers, are unable to make their point when they come to complain to the Cleaver's. Finally, Wally figures out what Beaver has said, and Ward writes a note of apology to Chuey's parents. The next day Chuey arrives with flowers and a note of forgiveness from his parents stating that parents learn from their children.

Lost Watch (1958, #043): While Wally and the older boys are playing baseball, Beaver is given custody of their watches, wallets and jackets. At the end of the game when everyone comes to collect their possessions, Lumpy Rutherford demands his watch, which Beaver does not have. Lumpy bullies Beaver over the next several days to come up with the watch, or the cash to replace it. Beaver is so frightened of Lumpy, he takes his Aunt Martha's birthday present savings bond from Ward's desk and tries to cash it at the bank. The teller refuses to cash the bond and calls Ward at home to tell him what Beaver has done. When Beaver gets home, Ward calls Fred Rutherford who admits Lumpy lost his watch several weeks ago and they are just waiting for him to admit to the loss. When Ward tells him what Lumpy has done, Fred is very upset and sends Lumpy over to apologize to the entire Cleaver household.

The Pipe (1958, #044): The Rutherford's, vacationing in Germany, send the Cleaver's a meerschaum pipe as a gift. Since Ward is not a pipe smoker, the pipe is put out on display in the living room cabinet. When Larry Mondello sees the pipe he convinces a reluctant Beaver they should try smoking. Lacking tobacco, the use coffee grounds with little success. The next day, Larry comes back with tobacco he has obtained from the ashtrays in his house and the boys try smoking again and both wind up feeling sick. Ward finds the pipe has been used and automatically suspects Wally because he is the eldest. When Ward confronts Wally he denies smoking, but Ward punishes him anyway because he is convinced Wally is lying. When Beaver overhears that Wally is being punished he confesses it was he and Larry that used the pipe. Later, when the boys are getting ready for bed, Beaver apologizes to Wally for "getting him into trouble", but Wally admits he did something wrong earlier and thus deserved the lecture.

Wally's Present (1958, #045): Ward and June realize Wally is getting older when he decides he would rather spend his birthday with Eddie eating hamburgers at the drugstore and then going to a movie. June's suspicions that Wally is more interested in girls is confirmed when Beaver overhears Wally on the phone telling Eddie they can meet Mary Ellen Rogers and her friends at the drugstore and then find out what movie they are attending. As a result, Beaver feels left out of Wally's life. The next day when Beaver is at the store to buy Wally's present, (a camera), Larry convinces him to spend the money on a bow and arrow set for himself because Wally is so selfish. With some reluctance, Beaver agrees and he only buys Wally a 45¢ bolo bat. Then, Larry, in attempt to string the bow, breaks it instead. When Beaver arrives home he finds Wally has changed his plans. The entire family has cake and Beaver is invited to the movies with Wally and Eddie. Beaver is ashamed of his gift. Worried about Beaver's reaction, Ward calls the store and finds out why Beaver didn't buy the camera. He sends Beaver back to the store to exchange the bow and arrow unaware it is broken. Beaver walks around the block several times not knowing what to do until he finally confesses to Ward and June. They are very understanding and tell him Wally will forgive him if he only apologizes. Beaver tells Wally he is sorry for buying him such a cheap present and the boys are friends once again.

Her Idol (1958, #046): On his way over to Larry's house to dig a hole, Beaver finds Linda Dennison sitting in a tree examining a bird's nest. Amazed that a girl can climb a tree, Beaver climbs up with her and they both look at the nest. After coming down he encounters Whitey and Larry who tease him about talking to girls and accuse him of being "sweet on her". The next day at school, Beaver has to put up with more teasing and finally says he will call Linda a name to show her he doesn't have any feelings for her. He calls her "a smelly old ape" and Linda runs off crying. Beaver is so mad he was forced to hurt her feelings, he punches Larry in the stomach. Miss Landers stops the fight and Beaver is sent to the office where he has to take a note home to Ward. Ward understands what happened and clears up the matter by calling the school. The next day Miss Landers gives the class a lecture on the value of friendship between boys and girls indicating they should be kind, considerate and have mutual respect for each other. After school, Beaver finds Larry sitting in the tree with Linda looking at the bird's nest.

Grass Is Always Greener (1958, #047): Complaining there is nothing to do around the house, Beaver asks Ward's permission to go with Mr. Fletcher, the trashman, to visit his children. When June arrives home from her shopping she is upset Ward has let Beaver go to the "other side of town" to play in a junkyard with the trashman's "rough kids". Beaver arrives home all excited and full of stories about all the "neat things" he was able to do at the Fletcher's. He asks to go back the next day, but Ward suggests the Fletcher boys come to visit the Cleaver's instead. June is somewhat apprehensive about having these "rough boys" at their house, but defers to Ward and Beaver. Pete and Chris Fletcher arrive the next day, and they are neatly groomed and extremely polite. Both boys are enthralled with the trees and grass around the Cleaver home, and admire the tools and workbench in the garage. As a result, Wally and Beaver develop a new appreciation for the things they took for granted previously.

Wally's New Suit (1958, #049): When Wally needs a new suit for an upcoming dance, Eddie convinces him he should tell his parents he is old enough to buy his own clothes because clothes picked out by parents are "square". Ward and June are apprehensive about letting Wally choose his own clothing, but since they feel Wally is sensible, and they want to encourage his responsibility and independence, they reluctantly agree. Ward even goes so far at to tell Wally regardless of the suit he won't criticize the choice. Despite the salesman's reluctance to sell him the suit, Wally comes home with a loud checked outfit. Eddie and Tooey think the suit is "S-H-A-R-P" and commend Wally on his fashion sense. Ward and June think the suit is totally inappropriate, and they are hard pressed to keep their promise of no criticism. Ward wants to "lay down the law", but June intervenes. In a far less direct manner, she convinces Wally the suit needs to be altered. When they return to the store, the salesman manages to convince Wally his physique is not suited to the checks, and Wally agrees to a solid blue suit which is much more becoming. On the night of the dance, when all his friends show up in similar suits, Wally thanks his parents for their help and understanding because he realizes the checked suit would have been inappropriate and he would have been embarrassed at the dance.

The Shave (1958, #050): Some of Wally's school friends, Eddie especially, are discussing how frequently they shave. Wally is embarrassed to say he has not yet started. However, when he arrives home that evening he gets Ward's razor and practices without a blade. When he puts the blade in the razor, his hand is shaking so badly he cuts himself in several places. This prompts a lecture from Ward when Wally arrives at the dinner table. In an attempt to discourage Wally from shaving, Ward tells him his beard will grow thicker and stiffer the more often he shaves. This only prompts Wally to use his father's advice as a method of improving his beard. Several days later, when Ward needs his razor, he finds Wally using it to show off to Eddie. Ward delivers a strong lecture to Wally, in front of Eddie, about not using his razor until he really needs to shave. The next day at school, after Eddie tells the other boys what Ward said, Wally is teased and called "baby-face". Because Wally is so upset and embarrassed, Beaver goes to Ward and tells him what happened. Ward realizes he should not have yelled at Wally in front of Eddie, and devises a plan to correct the situation. The next day, at the barbershop, Ward drops by and tells the barber, in front of Wally's friends, to give Wally a shave. This immediately raises Wally's standing in the eyes of the other boys. When they get home, a grateful Wally thanks Ward for what he did at the barbershop. Ward reminds him a beard is only the outside manifestation of becoming a man - it is what is inside that really counts.

The Visiting Aunts (1958, #051): The boys are all set to go to the carnival, but their plans are delayed with Aunt Martha and her friend drop by for an unexpected visit. Their departure is further delayed when June insists the guests stay for lunch, and the boys must forego the carnival. When Aunt Martha finally leaves, Ward offers to take them to the fair, but the boys refuse because they are trying to punish their parents, through guilt, for ruining their fun. Ward explains that Aunt Martha is a very important person in June's life and that Wally and Beaver have hurt their mother very badly by their selfish actions. Recognizing the error of their ways, Beaver and Wally apologize to June and the whole family goes to the carnival for an evening of fun and enjoyment.

The Tooth (1958, #052): When Beaver develops a toothache, June takes him to the dentist where and X-ray is taken of the affected tooth. When Beaver meets up with Lumpy and Wally after the dentist, Lumpy tells Beaver the dentist will make a huge hole in his tooth with a drill. As a result, Beaver becomes afraid to go to the dentist to have the cavity filled. Outside the dentist's office, Ward tells Beaver to be a "brave little soldier", and not to disappoint his father by crying or being afraid. Once in the office, Beaver refuses to get in the chair, cries and to be bribed by the dentist. Once they arrive home, Ward realizes he put so much pressure on Beaver to be brave, that he left him no option but to be afraid of what was going to happen. Recognizing his shortcomings as a father, Ward apologizes to Beaver for his actions, and for making Beaver fearful of the dentist.

Beaver's Ring (1958 #053): Aunt Martha sends Beaver a family heirloom signet ring which belonged to his namesake, Uncle Theodore. Ward and June tell Beaver the ring is only to be used on special occasions, and is not to be worn to school. Despite the warning, Beaver decides to take the ring to school. However, in keeping with his parents' wishes, he doesn't wear it - he carries it on a string in his pocket. At school, Judy Hensler doesn't believe it belongs to Beaver and wants to see him wear the ring. Beaver puts the ring on his finger and it becomes stuck. He is forced to go to the school nurse, who calls June and eventually the doctor is called to cut the ring off Beaver's finger. Ward delivers an exceptionally strong lecture about disobedience and disappointment and decides Beaver's punishment is to write Aunt Martha and tell her what he did. After Beaver writes the letter, Ward decides Beaver has learned his lesson and destroys the letter telling his son the ring can probably be repaired.

Beaver Gets Adopted (1958, #054): Wally brings home a trophy from the school track meet and Ward and June make a big fuss about his accomplishment. Beaver feels somewhat left out and jealous because he was unable to achieve a victory like his brother. The next day, Beaver and Larry are playing in Beaver's bedroom and Wally's trophy is accidentally dropped on the floor and breaks. Despite their best efforts to repair the damage, they are unsuccessful and Wally accuses Beaver of deliberately breaking the trophy. Following a lecture from Ward, Beaver expresses the opinion his parents don't love him. This prompts Ward to tell Beaver if he thinks he can do better, maybe he should get himself some new parents. After school the following day, Beaver presents himself for adoption. Mrs. Brady, the adoption agent, listens to Beaver's story and promptly calls Ward and June. She then tells Beaver she had managed to find a wonderful family for him just as Ward and June enter the door. Beaver decides these people will be just fine as his parents.

The Price of Fame (1958, #056): While cleaning the blackboards after school for Miss Landers, Larry spins a tale to Beaver about a spanking machine hidden in Mrs. Rayburn's office. On his way out of the school, Beaver's curiosity gets the better of him and he heads to the principal's office to see this machine. He finds nothing, of course, but hides under the principal's desk when the janitor comes in so he won't be caught were he is not supposed to be. Unfortunately, the janitor locks the door and Beaver is trapped in the office. Beaver figures his only way out is to pull the fire alarm, and Beaver arrives home in a fire truck. Ward delivers another lecture about believing Larry's stories, being where he wasn't supposed to be, costing the city money by using the fire department for a non-emergency situation, and finally by making himself conspicuous and embarrassing his family. The next day, while looking for four leaf clovers in the park, Beaver gets his head stuck in the iron fence and cannot get loose. When he doesn't show up for lunch, Wally is dispatched to try and find Beaver. When Wally finds his brother, Beaver tells Wally he must try to get out of this situation himself so he is not conspicuous and doesn't embarrass his family. When Wally and Beaver's attempts to extricate Beaver from the fence fail, Wally is forced to go home and get Ward. Ward enlists the assistance of the park gardener who loosens one of the rails and Beaver is released. Understanding why Beaver was reluctant to come to him, Ward tell Beaver that no matter what the situation, he must always come to his parents for help because his parents will always come to his aid.

School Play (1958, #057): Beaver is selected as the lead in the class play. The part has no speaking lines, which suites Beaver just fine. He is only required to wear a yellow canary costume and float like a bird among some flowers and mushrooms played by his classmates. Ward is somewhat concerned that Beaver is playing a yellow canary, and wishes instead he were an eagle. Despite Beaver's lack of ability to "float", Miss Landers decides to keep him in his part. On the night of the play, Ward and Wally tell him not to worry if he makes mistakes, or trips and falls during the play as it is natural and expected. Due to Ward and Wally's "advice", Beaver develops a severe case of stage fright. When the play is presented, the canary does a fine job. It is not until after the presentation that Ward, June and Wally discover that Whitey was wearing the canary costume. It appeared Beaver was so nervous, he and Whitey exchanged parts and Beaver played a mushroom. When questioned by his family as to why he abandoned the lead, Beaver tells them "a guy oughta do what he can do". Ward agrees, and tells Beaver, in life, "it just doesn't work when a mushroom tries to fly".

The Boat Builders (1958, #058): When Chester, Tooey and Wally decide to build a kayak, Ward does not appear concerned because he feels they will not be successful in their attempt. However, at June's urging, he tells the boys the kayak is not to be put in the water without adult supervision. When the boat is completed Chester and Tooey convince Wally that they should test the boat in Miller's pond, and not tell Ward, because he will spoil the fun. Wally reluctantly agrees and they head off to the pond with Beaver tagging along. When they reach the pond, Chester is selected to be the first captain. Unfortunately, Chester cannot fit into the opening because the bucket they have nailed to the inside, for ballast, is in the way. As a result, Beaver (as the smallest), nominated by default. The boat is pushed off and it almost immediately tips over and Beaver is dumped into the water. After they fish Beaver out of the pond, the next problem is how to get him home and out of his wet clothes without being discovered by Ward and June. This requires some strategic planning. First, Chester and Tooey place a phone call to the Cleaver's to get June out of the kitchen, and into the living room where the telephone is located. This allows Wally and Beaver to make it into the kitchen and the dining room, but they must go through the living room to get upstairs. To accomplish this, Wally turns on the carburetor. This causes June and Ward to rush to the kitchen to investigate the cause of the noise. The boys then sneak upstairs through the dining and living rooms. Wally brings Beaver's wet belongings downstairs in a box, and successfully makes it to the basement where he places everything, including Beaver's rubber boots, on the furnace to dry. In the middle of lunch, Ward smells burning rubber and finds the wet clothes and boots in the basement. Wally and Beaver receive as stern lecture about deceit, and the potential danger of drowning posed by setting Beaver adrift in an untested boat. As punishment, the boys are grounded for two weeks and they are not permitted to watch television during this time period.

Happy Weekend (1958, #059): Ward decides to take the family camping on the spur of the moment. He tells the boys of the wonderful times he spent at this campsite as a boy and expects they will enjoy a similar experience. Much to his chagrin, the boys are not at all pleased as they would rather stay home and go to the moves and read comic books. Ward, however, is adamant and the family heads off into the wilderness. The next morning when Ward and June arise, they find the boys have already left the cabin. Ward assumes they are hiking in the woods. When Wally and Beaver return they tell him of the town they found just over the hill which has a movie theatre and a drug store, where the boys had breakfast. Undeterred, Ward takes the boys fishing to make sure "they have a good time, like it or not". They rent a boat and catch eight fish. However, the thrill of the catch is diminished when they find the lake is stocked and fenced to prevent the fish from escaping. To top it all off, Ward has to pay one dollar for each fish. Later that evening the boys are out again - this time with the field glasses. Ward assumes they are watching the stars, or observing animals. Much to his dismay, when he goes to find them, he discovers they are using the binoculars to watch a movie playing at the local drive-in theatre. Totally disgusted, Ward returns to the cabin where he and June start packing to head home. Suddenly the boys rush in and are disappointed they are going to leave because they have found some old logs and plan to build a raft the next day. Pleased that the boys have finally found the true reason why they came camping, Ward relents and the family stays for the remainder of the weekend.

Beaver Plays Hooky (1958, #060): After Beaver has been late for school three days in one week, June warns Beaver and Larry not to dawdle on their way to class. Despite their good intentions, the boys stop to watch some construction work. Was a result, not only are they late for school, but their lunches and books are run over by a truck at the construction site. Realizing they are in serious trouble, Larry persuades Beaver not to go into the school in order to postpone "getting yelled at" until the next day. To avoid being caught by the truant officer, Beaver and Larry hide behind a billboard until hunger forces the to seek food. Since the neighborhood supermarket offers free samples, they decide to head to the store. At the grocery store they join what they think is a line up for food, only to find they are at a live TV broadcast to promote Rocket Chocolates. While all this is happening to Beaver and Larry, Wally has been sent home from school with a sore throat. While waiting for the doctor, Wally asks June if he can watch television. Of course, Wally and June see Beaver and Larry in the audience. June calls Ward at work to go to the supermarket, pick up the boys, and take them home. However, instead of bringing Beaver directly home, Ward drops Beaver off at school so he can explain his absence to Miss Landers. Miss Landers gives Beaver a lecture about not respecting school or education. The teacher tells him he may have missed something vitally important that may have helped him in future years.

The Garage Painters (1958, #061): Beaver and Wally are worried they will have nothing to do for the weekend when they discover the television set is broken. Ward suggests they read a book and gives them a copy of Tom Sawyer. He tells the boys Tom was a real boy and Ward himself did many of the same things as Tom when he was growing up. The next day, when Ward is called away to a members meeting at the golf course, Beaver and Wally volunteer to finish painting the garage doors. After realizing painting is not much fun, Wally and Beaver decided they might be able to use Tom Sawyer to their advantage. They try to convince both Larry and Lumpy that painting is fun, but both boys decline. When little Benji from next door wanders in, Beaver tries the same tactic on him. Benji, however, pours paint over himself because he wants to see what h will look like if he is green. Benji's mother is very upset with Beaver and Wally for what happened to her son, and Ward is forced to call her and apologize. Ward then realizes he must caution the boys not to take Tom Sawyer literally, and takes special pains to include the habits of smoking, cutting school, cussing and lying. He explains that Tom lived in a different time and things are just not the same in present society.

Beaver's Pigeons (1958, #062): When Larry and Whitey form a pigeon club, Beaver asks Ward to buy him two pigeons so he can join. Ward agrees, but Wally is apprehensive because he is afraid the task of looking after the birds will fall on his shoulders. Wally reminds Ward that when Beaver neglected his hamster, Wally took on the task of feeding and cleaning the pet. Then when it died, Wally had to take the blame. Ward assures him Beaver us now older and more responsible. That evening when Ward brings home the birds, (named Miss Canfield and Miss Landers, after two of the most important women in his life), he finds the Beaver has contracted the chicken pox and as a result will be unable to look after the pigeons. Ward then prevails upon Wally to look after he pigeons until Beaver has recovered. Wally reluctantly agrees. The next day Larry brings his pigeons over to the Cleaver's and asks Wally to look after them because he is going away for the weekend. Wally is concerned Larry's pigeons don't look too well, but he puts them in the cage with Beaver's birds. Later in the day, when feeding the birds, Wally notices Beaver's pigeons are looking ill and he and Ward take all four birds to the pet store. They find Larry's pigeons have lice and have infected Beaver's birds as well. The pet store provides some spray to eliminate the lice and the birds are healthy once again. The following day, when Wally returns from Sunday School, he finds the neighborhood cat has knocked over the cage and killed Miss Canfield and Miss Landers. When Ward offers to break the news to Beaver himself, Wally declines his father's offer because he must accept the responsibility for the death of Beaver's birds.

Wally's Pug Nose (1958, #063): Gloria, a new girl at Mayfield High has been asking questions about Wally. Encouraged by Lumpy and Tooey, Wally reluctantly decides to talk to Gloria when she is alone in the cafeteria. During the course of their conversation, Gloria makes a comment about Wally's pug nose. Unsure of the meaning, Wally looks the word up in the dictionary and finds it described as a turned up nose like a bulldog or a monkey. Totally devastated that he is some kind of a freak, Wally orders a nose harness through a mail order catalogue. The harness is supposed to reshape noses into a Roman profile. When Ward and June discover what Wally has done, they feel they must build his self-confidence without causing him to be embarrassed. Using a situation from his own childhood, Ward tells Wally he used to be concerned about his large ears even going so far as to tape them back every night. Wally appears to understand, and Ward is pleased he was able to make his son feel better about his physical appearance. Unfortunately, Wally took the advice the wrong way, and begins to tape his ears back as well as wear his nose harness. Several days later, Wally runs into Gloria at school and she asks him to escort her to the dance claiming she has an attraction for boys with pug noses. Wally finally comes to the realization his fears about being unattractive are all in his head and he disposes of the nose harness.

Haunted House (1958, #064): Miss Cooper returns to Mayfield after a fifteen-year absence. She takes up residence in 'the old Cooper house', which is rumored to be haunted because it has been vacant for so long. Based on this falsehood, Beaver and Larry become frightened and think Miss Cooper is a witch when she appears on the front porch carrying a broom, wearing an old smock, and has her hair tied up with a kerchief. Beavers is faced with an even more difficult situation when he finds June had volunteered his services to walk Miss Cooper's dog on a daily basis. Despite his trepidation, Ward insists Beaver do his duty. A very scared Beaver arrives at Miss Cooper's hours, but he runs away after seeing his own reflection in the mirror. When Miss Cooper comes to see what happened to her dog walker, Ward is forced to make a rather difficult explanation that Beaver thought she was a witch. The situation is resolved when Beaver meets Miss Cooper in the pet store and finds she is a very nice lady. Beaver agrees to accept the job of walking Angela, the cocker spaniel.

Wally's Haircomb (1958, #065): Inspired by a movie star, and his friends at school, Wally adopts the "jellyroll" hairstyle. Ward and June are horrified with Wally's appearance, but have differing opinions as to how to deal with the problem. Ward suggests just letting the situation resolve itself. He feels Wally will outgrow the hairstyle, or it will be replaced with some other fad. Since Ward won't directly confront the issue, June visits Wally's principal and asks him to impose a hair code on the boys at Mayfield High. Mr. Haller, the principal, essentially offers her the same advice as Ward. He advises her the "jellyroll" is just a passing fad, and a sign of self-expression. As long as the boys are neat and clean, Mr. Haller cannot see any reason to prevent them from wearing their hair in this style. June acquiesces and accepts the advice of these two men until Beaver copies his older brother's hairstyle. This is too much for June. She makes both boys wash their hair and return to a more acceptable hairstyle. She explains to Wally she is embarrassed by his "jellyroll" and reminds him how he felt when he was forced to walk down the street with his brother, when Beaver insisted on wearing on of June's old hats. Wally understands his mother is only trying to help him and he apologizes for embarrassing her in public.

Beaver and Gilbert (1959, #066): After school, Beaver, Larry and Whitey make fun of Gilbert Gates, the new student in their class. They think he is a "dumb kid" because of his name and the fact he carries a briefcase. When Beaver arrives home, June encourages him to go outside and play with Gilbert who has moved into the house across the street from the Cleaver's. Reluctantly, Beaver goes over to the Gates' where he finds Gilbert practicing for the 1968 Olympics. In addition to this imaginative story, Gilbert also tells Beaver he has been on an expedition to the North Pole, his father is an FBI agent, and his brother pitches for the St. Louis Cardinals. When Beaver relays these stories to his family they react with skepticism. Wally warns him about believing Gilbert's allegations. Still, Beaver decides to abandon his old friends Larry and Whitey and makes arrangements to go to the movies with Gilbert. However, Gilbert stands Beaver up and goes to the movies with Larry and Whitey. When the boys return from the theatre they play football at Gilbert's, and Beaver is encouraged by Ward to join the game. Everyone "gangs-up" on Beaver and he runs home crying. Ward tells him he should find a solution to the problem himself. Beaver goes back outside to and calls Gilbert over to his house where he promptly starts a fistfight. After letting the fight continue for a few minutes, Ward eventually separates the boys and then meets Mr. Gates who has also come to break up the fight. After the boys have been sent to their respective houses, Ward and Mr. Gates discuss the boys' behavior. Mr. Gates tells Ward he is a musician and as a result he move quite frequently, and Gilbert has already been in ten schools. He also tells Ward that because Gilbert is always the new child in school he makes up these fantastic stories to attract attention and to make friends. When Ward goes into the house he relays this information to Beaver and tells him he should make an effort to accept Gilbert and to understand why he makes up these fantastic stories.

The Bus Ride (1959, #067): When Beaver receives an invitation to visit his old friend Billy Peyton in Crystal Falls, Ward and June realize they will be unable to drive him because they have a barbeque to attend on Saturday afternoon. To help out, Wally offers to take Beaver to Crystal Falls on the bus. June is somewhat apprehensive about letting the boys go on a three- hour bus ride, but Ward assures here there will be no problem because Wally is so responsible. On Saturday the boys leave on the bus and disembark at Elmhurst for refreshments. The boys are separated when Wally goes to pay the restaurant bill, and Beaver goes to buy some comic books. Beaver asks for directions to the correct gate telling the clerk he is on the Mayfield bus not realizing he should give his destination rather than his point of departure. As a result, Beaver ends up on the wrong bus. When Wally arrives in Crystal Falls, he calls home, and finds Beaver in the house. Because Billy is so upset, Mr. Peyton agrees to drive Wally back to Mayfield and bring Beaver back to Crystal Falls with him. When Ward and June arrive home, Wally is congratulated for doing a fine job of getting Beaver to his destination. Wally accepts the compliments until June leaves the room and he tells Ward what really happened. Ward appreciates the fact Wally told him the truth, but decides they had best keep the information from June until a later date to avoid upsetting her unnecessarily.

The Horse Named Nick (1959, #068): The boys take part-time jobs cleaning and feeding the circus animals while the carnival is in town. While June is worried the boys may get hurt working around the animals, Ward tells her it is all part of growing up, especially for boys. Ward's main concern is the boy's may not be paid because of the tendency of carnival operators to leave town before paying their employees. Despite Ward's concern, Beaver and Wally do get paid. Unfortunately, it is not in cash, but rather they receive a horse in payment for their services. While trying to decide what to do with the horse, Ward if forced to move even more quickly when he receives a visit from the board of health. It appears the neighbors called to complain the Cleaver's had a horse in their garage. Wally and Beaver place an ad to sell the horse and feel the problem has been solved until they realize the purchaser owns a rendering plant. Ward takes matters into his own hands and calls Mr. Peyton who lives on a farm in Crystal Falls. Mr. Peyton agrees to take the horse - and it will only cost $10 a month for board.

Beaver Says Goodbye (1959, #069): When Ward and June tell the boys the family is moving, Beaver tells all his friends at school. When Ward's offer on the new house is not accepted, Beaver is worried about how he will tell his schoolmates he is not leaving the neighborhood, without appearing a liar. Before he can tell anyone, the class holds a surprise going away party for him and each student gives him a present. When Beaver arrives home with his gifts he sneaks them up to his room so he doesn't have to tell his parents. When Wally sees the presents he tells Beaver he cannot keep them because his friends will call him a "crook". While trying to decide what to do, Larry drops by and tells Ward all about the gifts and the party. Ward and June confront Beaver and tell him he must make the decision about what to do with his presents - making it perfectly clear what he is expected to do. The next day when Beaver returns to call, he finds Charles Fredericks has written "Beaver is a Crook" on the blackboard and the entire class shuns him. Miss Landers arrives and explains to the class that Beaver was too surprised to tell everyone during the party that he was not moving, but has returned all the gifts to the principal. She further tells the class that anyone who wishes to retrieve his or her gift may obtain the present from Mrs. Rayburn. Judy Hensler is the only one who makes a move to leave the room and when she does, Larry tells her is she moves he will slug her. In the end all the students realize the difficult situation Beaver was in, and he is once more an accepted member of the class.

Beaver's Newspaper (1959, #070): While cleaning up the garage, Beaver finds an old typewriter that was handed down from Ward to Wally. When Wally says he no longer wants the machine, Beaver takes it to Gus the fireman who manages to fix it. Beaver and Larry then decide to use the typewriter to publish a neighborhood newspaper. Wally offers his assistance for the first edition when Beaver has the carbons in backwards. Wally is not available for the second edition as he has a ballgame, so June pitches in. When neither Wally, nor June, are available for the third edition, Ward comes to the rescue and solves the assistance problem by typing "Final Edition" above the headline.

Beaver's Sweater (1959, #071): Beaver sees a "genuine" Eskimo sweater in a store window and decides he must have it. Against their better judgment, Ward and June let him buy the sweater using his college savings. The next day at school, Judy Hensler shows up wearing the same sweater. Beaver cannot be seen wearing the same thing as a girl, and hides the sweater in the park each morning on the way to school. On Saturday he stuffs the sweater behind the candy machine at the movie theatre and tells his parents it was stolen. The manager of the theatre, however, calls June to tell her the sweater was found and identified through the nametag sewn in the back. When Beaver reveals the truth of why he "lost" the sweater, Ward and June are understanding and realize as parents they sometimes let their children do the wrong thing out of love.

 
Home Up Table of Contents Introduction Reoccuring Themes Moral Messages Parenting Relationships Conclusion Bibliography Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Appendix E Appendix F Appendix G Appendix H

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