05x13 - The Great Experiment

[bunniefuu]

(orchestral music)

- [Narrator] Robert Young

and Jane Wyatt,

with Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin,

in Father Knows Best.

(rumbling)

- Seeing a manmade rocket hurl itself into space

and orbit is a challenge to the minds

and to the imagination.

This is an exciting era we're living in.

(men talking amongst themselves)

Not all of us can take the time to explore the heavens.

However, there areequally exciting events

taking place right here on earth.

If we would but seek them out.

But we're wasting precious moments doing nothing.

Moments that could be used to find out

what's going on right around us,

in our own community for instance.

As parents, we all have a tremendous responsibility,

to encourage our children, and ourselves, as well,

to think.

More important, to makethem want to think.

Want to learn.

Want to use their minds.

For in our young people, rests the fate of the world.

- Personally I think everything--

(audience laughing)

Dr. Melton said made sense.

We are victims of routine.

We do waste precious moments.

It could be spent discovering the world around us.

- Jim, I think he's right, too.

But just because I have to do my shopping

on Saturdays doesn't mean I'm a victim of routine.

Well, it's the only day I have.

- And Saturday's the only day I have to sleep.

- Bud, you missed the whole point.

- Well you may not realize it, father,

but going to school is tiring.

- Yeah, especially whenyou have a dopey teacher

like my math teacher.

- He's dopey because you're not doing very well in math,

isn't that it, Bud?

- Yeah.

I mean, no. (audience laughing)

Well he's got a one track mind, dad.

All the fellas think so.

We bet he couldn't even eat breakfast

without multiplyingthe eggs with the bacon

and gettin' an equation.(audience laughing)

- [Jim] Bud, mathematicsis one of the most

important subjects you can take.

- Well then why does it have to be so dull and boring?

- I don't know what makes you think

I don't have anything to do on weekends.

I always have homework.

Well this weekend, for example,

I'm supposed to write a page essay

on why I appreciate music.

- Well at least that's constructive.

- But how can I fill up pages

saying something I can say in three words?

I love music, period.

- I don't think any of us are giving your father a chance.

You said you had a plan, dear.

Now what it is?

- Oh, it's kind of an experiment I had in mind.

- Are we gonna make a rocket, and fly to the moon?

- No, kitten.

Let's leave that to the scientists.

But what we can do is look for adventure

and opportunity right here in our own community.

- Now, dad, if you're gonna try and tell me

that it's an adventure and an opportunity to

mow the front lawn, I'mgonna leave right now.

- Bud, I didn't come home early

to make your afternoon miserable.

I came home with a very definite plan.

Which I thought would make better

and happier people of all of us.

It's an experiment.

And if you're the kind of a family I think you are,

you'll want to cooperate.

- Sir, your dutiful wifewould like to report

that your great experiment is in operation.

I called Mrs. Gates, and she said

if I'd come over rightaway to the auditorium,

I could try out for the charity show.

There's several parts open.

- Good for you, honey.

That sounds different and exciting.

I'll be the first to ask for an autograph.

- You better wait 'til I get the part.

Well what about you?

Have you decided yet what you'll do?

- You know, Margaret.

It's amazing how manythings there are to do,

if you just look for them.

There's every kind of acourse you can think of

being offered at the college.

And for adults, too.

Not only that, most of them are free.

I think I'll go over and sign up

for the one in space technology.

- Oh, wonderful.

As long as you don'tget carried off with it

and volunteer for the first flight to another world.

- Not a chance.

I'm too happy right here in my own world.

- Good bye, dear.

I'll see you at dinner time.

- Bye, daddy.

I'm off to experiment and adventure.

- Wait a minute.

Aren't you going to tellme where you're going?

- Uh huh. - Well?

- Well they're having spring baseball

practice at our school and--

- Oh Kathy, that's an old routine with you.

I want you to do something different.

Something constructive.

- I was afraid of that.

- I have an idea.

- What is it?

- They're having a children's art exhibit at the school.

How 'bout that?

- I'm pretty young, they probably wouldn't let me in.

- It's for children your age. (audience laughing)

- Oh.

- You might learn something new.

And worthwhile.

- I guess you've madeup my mind, haven't you?

(audience laughing) - It's just a suggestion.

- Well, okay.

But I'm tellin' you now, it'll never replace baseball.

(audience laughing)

(chuckling)

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

Yes, this is Mr. Anderson.

Yes, of course I know you, Mr. Paulson.

You're Bud's mathematics teacher.

- I am sorry to bother you on a Saturday, Mr. Anderson, but,

I'm trying to promote a better understanding

with my students, and, well,

I thought, as a parent, you might be able to help.

- Well I'll be more thanhappy to talk to you.

Or do anything I can.

How 'bout one night next week?

Yes, uh...

I can make it this afternoon.

No, no, I didn't make any other plans.

- If I could just find some different way

to show them how very important mathematics is.

They would just ask some questions.

Show some form of curiosity.

Then I'd know I was making some progress.

But they don't.

They just come trudginginto the classroom,

shoulders drooping, eyes half closed.

The groans are loud enough to be heard for blocks.

- I take it, Mr. Paulson, that my son, Bud, groans

just as loud as the others.

- Louder. (audience laughing)

- You...

You say you're doingresearch at the college

three nights a week?

- That's right.

I'm working on my doctor's degree in astronomy.

I spend a great deal oftime at the observatory.

That's fascinating work.

Peering in on the wonders of the world.

Measuring time,

and the universe.

It's like, like lookingthrough buried treasure.

Except on a level that'smeasured by miracles.

- Mr. Paulson, I don't know whether or not

I have a permanent solution for you.

Well I have an idea that might interest

at least one student of yours.

- Well I deal in mathematics, Mr. Anderson.

Maybe one'll get me two.

- Well first I better find the one.

(audience laughing)

Excuse me boys, for disturbing you.

- Oh hi, Mr. Anderson. (audience laughing)

- Busy?

- Yeah.

Kippy and I were justtalkin' over your idea.

You know, adventure.

Learnin' somethin' new each day.

We were thinkin'.

- How 'bout startin' with a treasure hunt?

- Huh? - There's a catch.

(audience laughing) - No catch.

All you have to do isfollow these directions,

and I guarantee you'll find treasures.

(slow orchestral music)(audience laughing)

- Are you sure you readthese directions right?

- Yup.

We did everything just like this said to do.

- What's next?

- We have to give a secret code knock on the door.

Like this. (knocking)

(audience laughing)

(slow orchestral music)

- What's the password?

- Curiosity.

- That's a funny password.

- I wonder what it means. (audience laughing)

- Why don't you come in and find out?

(audience laughing)

- Oh well, we gotta go sometime.

(audience laughing)(slow orchestral music)

- Hey, what gives?

- What is this place?

- It's out of this world. (audience laughing)

- We're supposed to be on a treasure hunt.

- [Mr. Paulson] Well, you came to the right place.

- [Kippy] Uh oh, Mr. Paulson.

- What are you doing here?

- Finding up some treasure for you to find.

- Treasures?

- See that instrument up there?

This piece of metal and glass can show

you more treasures thanyou ever dreamed of.

- Is that a telescope?

- Yes.

Attached to its focus is a camera,

which reflects the pictures it takes,

through this television set.

You see, direct observations of the heavens

aren't always practical.

So a series ofphotographs are made as

part of a permanent record.

- I thought you werejust interested in math.

- Well this is mathematics.

You boys ever seen what the sun really looks like?

- [Kippy] Well I saw it through small glasses once.

(audience laughing)

- How would you like tohave a real close look?

- Is it okay?

- You bet it's okay.

You can have a ringside seat.

Meet the ruler of the universe.

- Wow.- Dig that crazy torch.

(audience laughing)

- [Bud] Say, what are those things sh**ting out from it?

- Those are atomic gasses.

Some of them sh**t into space as far as , miles.

- Well how big is the sun?

- [Mr. Paulson] About , times greater than the Earth.

And it's about million miles away from us.

- [Bud] How do you know?

- Yeah.

How can you measureanything that far away?

- Well, first, we calculate its mass.

And we do that by knowing the force

with which it attracts the Earth.

- Well you were saying something about that

in class the other day, weren't ya?

- Yes, I was saying a great deal about it.

- It didn't seem very interesting the other day.

It kind of does now.

- You know something,

it wasn't very interesting to me the other day either.

But it is now.

- I think your father has aperfectly heavenly idea, Betty.

Sounds so sophisticatedand mundane.

Just think, the whole afternoon,

and all you have to do is listen to a

tremendous orchestra rehearse.

- Well I suppose it's alright.

Certainly it's different, but, oh I don't know

who wants to listen to a bunch of musicians rehearse?

I can hear noise andconfusion right at home.

- Good afternoon.

- Oh, good afternoon.

Oh, I have a pass to see the rehearsal.

My father got it for me.

- I see it.

But you are a little early.

- Oh, I know.

I hope I won't disturb you.

- Quite the contrary.

I will enjoy having company while I do a little work.

You must love music, yes?

- Oh, oh, very much.

And of course you do.

- Music is my life.

There was a time in Vienna...

Excuse me, please.

- Certainly.

(slow orchestral music)

- Do you like Beethoven?

- Yes, I guess I do.

- You guess you do?

Oh my dear child, you do not guess with Beethoven.

If you love music, you loveBeethoven, because he is music.

What would you like to hear first, hm?

- What?

- I mean...

You did come to hear music, did you not?

- Well of course I did, but, um,

how can you...

I mean, how can you conduct without musicians?

- Have you no imagination?

- Yes, but...

- If you have imagination, and if you love music,

you can recall the beautiful sounds any time you like.

You see...

Once beautiful music hasfilled a room, it never leaves.

Oh, maybe it's thatyou've never tried, huh?

I show you.

But first, you must concentrate.

Very hard.

You must listen.

And think.

The oboe sounds his A.

(Oboe tuning)

Can you hear it?

- No.

- Oh try again.

Concentrate. (oboe tuning)

It is a low, vibrating,haunting sound.

(oboe tuning)

- Yes, I think I do hear it.

- Good.

And now you will hear the instruments tuning up.

(instruments tuning)

Each instrument is a perfection of beauty.

Hear the violins.

(violins tuning)

More violins.

And the bass clarinet. (bass clarinet tuning)

And the brasses. (brass instruments tuning)

And now the trumpets. (trumpets tuning)

- Yes, I can hear them.

I can hear them.

- Then, I give you Beethoven.

(bright orchestral music)

(laughing)(people talking)

- [Man] Hey, did you tape me

that new show last night, Barnie?

The one about the musicians?

- Yeah, show me a musician that talks like that.

He oughta be playing short stop with the Red Eagles.

How's the maestro today?

- Oh, I am fine.

Thank you, Mr. Rozack.

- Good, maestro.

Say, get us somecoffee, will ya?

I have a feeling that it's gonna be a long session today.

- I'll be happy to.

- You know the usual.

Easy on the sugar, plenty of cream.

- Yes.

Well I hope you enjoyed the music.

- I did, very much.

- It's been a long time since I've had

such an appreciative audience.

Thank you.

(slow orchestral music)

- Gee, mom, it was a real great afternoon.

I sure learned a lot of stuff I never knew before.

- Oh, Bud, that's wonderful.

I know your father'll be pleased.

- I don't suppose you've ever heard of the parallax?

(audience laughing) - No.

Does that have somethingto do with mathematics?

- Does it havesomethin' to do with it?

Mom, if you can figure the parallax of somethin',

you can figure anything.

You see what you do-- - Hello dear.

- Oh, dad.

- Go on, son, it sounds interesting.

- It was a terrific afternoon, dad.

Oh, I'll have to tell you about it tomorrow.

You see Mr Paulson invited a bunch of us

guys over to his house tonight.

He's got some slides onthe Pleiades cluster.

- I'm very impressed.

- I won't bother with dinner tonight, mom.

Kippy and I are going to pick up

some hamburgers and take 'em with us.

- Alright, Bud.

- Thanks, dad.

It was real great.

- You're welcome, son.

- Father, I...

I don't know when I've such an interesting afternoon.

- Well.

I take it the rehearsalmust've been alright.

- Well, sometime when I have lots of time,

I wanna tell you all about it.

But right now, oh, I wanna start writing that essay.

While I can still hear the music.

- It looks to me like theexperiment was a great success.

- Yeah.

What about you Margaret?

Are you gonna be the Sarah Bernhardt of Springfield?

- Oh, I'm afraid not.

You see, I didn't get to rehearsal.

- Why not?

- Well I intended to, but I ran into Myrtle Davis,

who was on her way to the Kermits--

- The Kermits?

Oh no.

- Well Mrs. Kermit had to go to the hospital

for another operation, and she was right

in the middle of her spring cleaning.

(Jim tsking)

Well somebody has to help people like that.

Besides, I wasn't the only one.

It was Mrs. Gates, well several of the neighbors.

And we cleaned her wholehouse in one afternoon.

- Don't apologize dear,I love you for it.

You know what?

I didn't get to my class in space technology, either.

- Oh, Jim.

- But I sent half the youth of Springfield in my place,

starting with Bud.

You know, Margaret, maybe that's our lot in life.

We keep the home fires burning and

let the younger ones accept the challenge of the future.

- Oh.

- Speaking of the younger element, where's Kathy?

- Oh, she'll be here any minute.

- Kathy reporting on an art exhibit.

This I've gotta hear. (audience laughing)

(slow orchestral music)

Kathy.

- [Margaret] Angel, what is it?

(crying) - I'm a great, big failure.

(crying)

- What happened?

- Nothin'.

- But your face, and your dress.

- I didn't have any adventure.

- Well something must've happened.

- Just kid stuff.

You wouldn't be interested.

- Yes we would, angel.

Tell us.

- Okay.

Maybe you could even help.

Come on.

(laughing) - [Jim] What is this, anyway?

- See this big tree?

- [Jim] Yes.

- Listen.

Robins.

(birds chirping)

Those are baby robins, and they're hollering

'cause their mother's gone.

- How do you know, dear?

- Well, I was walkin' along on my way to the art exhibit,

and there was a strange boy,

and he had a pole, and he was hitting this tree.

(tense orchestral music)

(slow orchestral music)

So, I climbed the tree and put the nest back,

and then climbed down again.

- I don't see how you did it.

- It was pretty tough the first time,

but it got easier the next time.

- The next time?

- Uh huh, those birds were awful hungry.

I waited for the motherto come and feed 'em,

and when she didn't come back,

I dug up some worms andtook 'em up to them.

- Kathy.

- I guess they must've been pretty

surprised to see meinstead of their mother.

(audience laughing)

(birds chirping)

They sure need their mother.

- Well, kitten, I think that

once a nest has been tampered with,

the mother never comes back.

- Well I went throughan awful lot of trouble

for her, daddy.

She has to come back.

- I'll tell you what, honey.

I'll get a ladder.

- Shh.(birds chirping)

And that's the mother, I know.

(birds chirping)

(upbeat orchestral music)

She came back!

She came back!

(laughing)

- Kitten, you may not think you had an adventure today,

but you had the greatestone of them all.

You were witness to a small miracle.

And you know what, honey?

You were not only a witness, you were part of it.

You see, unfortunately there are

always those like thatboy who seek to destroy.

And there are people like you,

who wanna build.

We're...

Very proud of you, honey.

- You know, daddy, the way you say it,

I'm kinda proud of myself. (audience laughing)

(audience applause)

(orchestral music)