Leave It to Beaver (season 2)

Beaver needs to write a poem for a school assignment. Ward writes the poem when Beaver goes to bed. The next day, Wally announces Beaver has been chosen to read his poem in assembly and will be given an award. Ward and June discourage Beaver from accepting an award for a poem he didn't write. Ward talks to Mrs. Rayburn who decides to give Beaver another chance to write a poem.

Eddie's new girl Caroline is more interested in Wally and invites him to a dance. Wally declines the invitation but Eddie complains of a sore throat and urges Wally to take Caroline to the dance. Wally finally agrees. Later, Eddie tells Beaver he knew Wally wouldn't go to a dance with someone else's girl so he pretended to be sick to give Wally the chance to accept the invitation.

Ward makes plans to take Wally fishing but Beaver comes home with news about a school father-and-student picnic on the same day and Ward feels he must go to the picnic. He delays telling the boys, who believe he will go fishing as planned. Beaver tells Miss Landers he won't attend the picnic. Ward realizes by stalling he placed Beaver in an awkward position.

Guests: Sue Randall as Miss Landers, Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Stanley Fafara as Whitey Whitney, Jeri Weil as Judy Hensler, Bobby Mittelstaedt as Charles Fredericks, Patty Turner as Linda Dennison.

Beaver makes friends with Chuey, a Hispanic boy, and consults Eddie (who's taking Spanish in high school) about Spanish phrases. Eddie teaches Beaver an insulting phrase without revealing its meaning. When Beaver uses the phrase with his friend, the boy runs home crying. Chuey's parents want to know why their son was so upset. The misunderstanding is corrected and Wally resolves to "slug" Eddie.

When Wally's friends ask Beaver to guard their personal belongings during a game of baseball, Lumpy accuses Beaver of losing his watch and demands restitution, giving Beaver forty-eight hours to return the watch — or else. Beaver never had the watch but takes the twenty-five dollar savings bond his Aunt Martha gave him and tries to redeem it at the bank. The teller calls Ward. Ward gets the truth about the matter from Beaver. Fred Rutherford says his son lost the watch and Lumpy apologizes to the Cleavers.

Guests: Richard Deacon as Fred Rutherford, Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Frank Bank as Lumpy Rutherford, Buddy Hart as Chester Anderson, "Tiger" Fafara as Tooey Brown, Jonathan Hole as Bank Teller.

Beaver sits in a tree with Linda Dennison to view a bird's nest in the park. Larry and Whitey tease Beaver about Linda being his girl. To prove he's not sweet on Linda, he calls her a "smelly old ape". The next day, Miss Landers gives the class a talk about boys and girls extending mutual respect to one another and getting along. When Beaver sees Linda with Larry in the same tree, he feels bad and wonders if the feeling is that which causes people to marry.

Aunt Martha sends Beaver an heirloom ring. Ward tells Beaver not to wear it to school so Beaver takes it in his pocket. Showing it off, Beaver puts it on and can't get it off. The school nurse says it will have to be cut off. Beaver panics, thinking the nurse means his finger. The ring is cut off. At home, Beaver writes a letter of apology to Aunt Martha telling his father it's "awful hard" to write a letter saying you're bad. Ward tears up the letter, deciding Beaver has been punished enough.

Guests: Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Stanley Fafara as Whitey Whitney, Jeri Weil as Judy Hensler, Sue Randall as Miss Landers, Anne Loos as Nurse Thompson.

Wally scores a touchdown in a junior varsity game, but his friends' shaving is the bigger brag. Wally cuts himself prematurely shaving with Ward's safety razor. Ward's initial admonition just encourages Wally. Needing his razor, Ward bawls Wally out in front of Eddie, saying Wally shouldn't be shaving until he has a beard. Later, Ward realizes he was thoughtless. The next day, Wally and his friends go to the barber shop for haircuts. Ward arranges for the barber to give Wally a shave without divulging his part in the plot. The barber recommends a shave and Wally becomes the envy of his pals.

Guests: Ken Osmond as Eddie Haskell, Buddy Hart as Chester Anderson, "Tiger" Fafara as Tooey Brown, Howard McNear as Andy the Barber, Frank Bank as Lumpy Rutherford, Charles Cirillo as Barber.

The Rutherfords send the Cleavers an elaborately carved meerschaum pipe from Germany. Fred writes that a "rubescent chromaticity" results from "geschmokhen", but the pipe is put in a curio cabinet. When the two are alone, Larry overcomes Beaver's reluctance and the two smoke coffee grounds in the pipe. They are disgusted. The next day, they try to smoke cigarette ashes collected from ashtrays around Larry's house and are disgusted again. Ward discovers the pipe bowl stained and believes Wally has been smoking. Wally is mystified until Beaver confesses and says he "won't do anything bad again until I'm 21". Ward assures Beaver he will be punished.

Guest: Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello.

Wally needs a new suit for a dance and, egged on by Eddie, persuades his father to let him buy it himself. Against his better judgement, Ward agrees. Wally buys a loud plaid suit his parents dislike. Tactfully, June notes the sleeves are too long and suggests the suit be altered. The clothier knows boy psychology and steers Wally to a traditional suit, pointing out that the suit flatters his athletic build. Wally says he would have felt like a creep wearing the plaid suit.

Beaver is cast as a canary in the school play but gets a bad case of stage fright on opening night. The teachers switch Beaver and Whitey at the last moment with Beaver being assigned the silent and immobile mushroom role. At home, Beaver tells his family he wasn't good enough to be the canary and he wasn't disappointed being the mushroom because a "guy oughta do what he can do, not what another guy can do".

Guests: Sue Randall as Miss Landers, Dorothy Adams as Miss Wakeland, Stanley Fafara as Whitey Whitney, Jeri Weil as Judy Hensler, Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Linda Beardon as Girl.

The boys make carnival plans with friends but are forced to stay home when Aunt Martha arrives with a friend, the formidable wife of a general. When the ladies depart after lunch, Ward offers to drive the boys to the carnival but they sulk. June says she is very unhappy with their attitude, pointing out that she doesn't often ask them to sacrifice their day for her. The boys apologize to their mother and a family outing to the carnival is decided upon.

Ward wants the boys to have a rustic, outdoor weekend at Shadow Lake, reminiscent of his youth; and he denounces movies and comic books. After the initial thrill of country living, the boys eat at a drugstore, Ward discovers the lodge charges for each stocked fish caught, and June goes into town to get her hair done. When Ward finds the boys watching the movie he had kept them from seeing, from a hilltop overlooking a drive-in, he decides to pack up and return home. The boys change his mind when they discover an island in the lake and want to build a pirate's raft.

Wally plans his birthday around a hamburger party at the drugstore with Eddie and some girls, eschewing a regular birthday party and leaving Beaver out of the fun. With Larry Mondello as instigator, Beaver takes his revenge by spending his saved money mostly on a bow and arrow set for himself, which Larry quickly breaks, and buying his brother a cheap toy, instead of the camera with flash he had intended to buy. When Wally changes his mind and includes Beaver in the party, it's too late for Beaver to make amends with a nice gift. Beaver apologizes for his selfishness.

Guests: Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Ken Osmond as Eddie Haskell, Arthur Space as Mr. Judson.

Larry tells of the virtues of eavesdropping. Beaver hears Ward, paying bills, talk about soon being in the poorhouse. Beaver wants to get to know the poor. Beaver gets permission to ride in the garbage truck of Mr. Fletcher, then goes to the garbage man's house to play with his sons. He comes home in a Rolls Royce and thrilled with his visit. June suggests he invite the garbage man's boys to lunch. The Fletcher boys arrive at the Cleaver house well-groomed and polite, rather than grimy and disorderly as she expected. The boys think Ward is a great guy and June as pretty as a movie star. June and Ward are glad the boys have visited.

Although his parents tell him not to, Wally takes the kayak he built with his frinds to Miller's Pond to see if it floats - and Beaver's in it. The kayak sinks and Beaver is drenched. At home, the boys hide the mishap from their parents. Wally puts Beaver's clothing and new hiking boots on the furnace to dry. Later, Ward finds the clothing smoldering, and, when he learns the truth, gives the boys a severe lecture on the possible consequences of their adventure and, worse, on keeping it from their parents. He grounds the two for the weekend, which they spend reviving Beaver's boots.

Beaver and Larry stop too long to watch construction, where their lunch boxes and books are run over. Arriving at school past the second bell, the two decide to play hooky to avoid facing the wrath of Miss Landers three times in one week. After hiding in the frame a billboard for a while, they get hungry and go to a supermarket hoping to find free food samples. Lured by an offer of free "rocket bars", the boys, unbeknownst, get in line to be in a noontime television show audience at the store; and they are caught on camera. Wally, home sick, and June see the boys on TV. June calls Ward at the office, and he picks up a candy-sick Beaver. He drops him at school to talk to Miss Landers who impresses upon the boy the importance of attending school.

Guests: Dick Lane as Marshall Moran, Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Sue Randall as Miss Landers, John Hart as Construction Worker, Robert Mitchell as Husband at Supermarket, Berniece Dalton as Wife at Supermarket.

The family facing a rainy weekend with the television broken, Ward introduces the boys to the book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. When he's called to a meeting at the country club just as he begins painting the garage doors, the boys offer to do the job. The boys play Tom Sawyer and try to get friends to paint the doors. Lumpy and Larry won't bite; but little Benjie Bellamy does, and winds up pouring a can of green paint over himself. Wally and Beaver are sent to their room. June worries that they'll start cussing and smoking. Ward tells the boys that the things you could do in Tom Sawyer's day you can't get away with now.

Wally is concerned with his looks, applying lotion to keep from going bald. The guys have their eyes on the cute new girl at school, Gloria Cusick, who has asked about Wally. Sitting in the cafeteria, Lumpy and Tooey dare Wally to go over and talk to her. She is pleasant but comments on Wally's "pug nose". Thinking it a disparaging term, he buys a gadget to turn it into a Roman nose. Ward tries to build Wally's confidence but just adds to Wally's anxiety. One day, Gloria asks Wally to escort her to a school dance. He asks why she chose him and she says it's because of his cute pug nose. Wally is happy and throws away the nose gadget. Ward tells Beaver that homely people can be successful too.

Guests: Cheryl Holdridge as Gloria Cusick, "Tiger" Fafara as Tooey Brown, Frank Bank as Lumpy Rutherford, Ralph Brooks as Mailman.

Beaver, Larry, and Whitey form a pigeon club. Beaver has picked out two female pigeons at the pet shop, and rushes Ward into agreeing to buying them, having named them "Miss Canfield" and "Miss Landers". Beaver gets the chicken pox, stays in bed, and Wally is assigned to care for the pigeons in the garage until Beaver recovers. Larry, about to go on a trip and accompanied by Whitey, drops off his pigeons, "Nate" and "Al", who soon give Beaver's pigeons lice. The lice cured, a cat gets in and kills two birds, which turn out to be Beaver's. Beaver watches from an upstairs window as his fellow club members bury the birds in the back yard. Ward offers to bring Beaver another pair of pigeons, but Beaver declines.

Beaver has a sore tooth and a small cavity is diagnosed during an exciting visit to the dentist. Excitement turns into apprehension when Lumpy, vengeful at being called that by a "little squirt", tells Beaver how dentists like drilling big holes and repeatedly makes scary drilling sounds. Beaver is further sickened at the sound of nearby jackhammers. Beaver's ruse to prevent a follow-up appointment to fill the tooth is foiled by June who tells Ward of Beaver's fear. Ward is contemptuously dismissive, and firmly tells Beaver he expects him to be a good soldier and not to let him down. At the dentist's office, Beaver and Ward find Fred Rutherford and his daughter Violet in the waiting room. Fred brags about his daughter's Trojan courage. Beaver yelps in mere apprehension of the dentist's chair. The kindly, shrewd dentist allays Beaver's fear and the operation is indeed painless. At home, Ward apologizes to Beaver, saying he should have offered reassurance rather than pressure.

During Mayfield Park field day, Wally wins an impressive trophy for most total points scored; and Ward declares a decathlete in the making. Beaver jealously pronounces the trophy "not real gold". Ward reprimands Beaver, saying it's not what it's made of but what it represents. Beaver later accidentally breaks Wally's trophy. The breakage is discovered, despite a clumsy mending attempt; and Beaver's parents scold him. He says he's tired of being yelled at. Ward says if he can improve on his parents, then he's welcome to try. Beaver goes to an adoption agency and asks for new parents. The interviewer says she knows the perfect couple and makes a telephone call. Beaver begins to worry about liking his new parents. Shortly, June and Ward appear at the door. Beaver says he'll take them.

Beaver has had a bad dream involving a haunted house with ghosts. Elderly Miss Cooper returns to Mayfield to re-open her ancestral home, which looks spooky after being unoccupied for 15 years. Seeing Miss Cooper wearing a colorful head scarf and carrying a broom onto her porch, Beaver sees a witch with flaming hair. Miss Cooper, through June, arranges for Beaver to walk her dog. Beaver goes to the house but then runs away, spooked by creaking noises, odd-looking covered furniture, and by his own reflection. Everyone tells Beaver Miss Cooper is a very pleasant lady, but Beaver is disbelieving, even after Miss Cooper visits the Cleavers. The next day, Beaver meets Miss Cooper in the pet shop, finds she's a nice person, and is glad to walk her male Cocker Spaniel, Angela.

Guests: Lillian Bronson as Miss Cooper, Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello.

Beaver's old friend Billy Payton lives ninety miles away at Crystal Falls and invites Beaver for a weekend visit. When June and Ward realize they have a prior engagement, Wally offers to accompany Beaver on the bus, drop him at Crystal Falls, and return home. On the bus, the boys work through their packed lunches well before lunchtime and get off to eat when the bus stops for refreshments. Beaver and Wally become separated when Wally pays the check while Beaver buys some comic books. Not being clear in asking for directions from the newsstand attendant, Beaver boards the wrong bus and returns to Mayfield, taking a cab home from the bus station. In Crystal Falls, Wally explains the situation to the Paytons. Mr. Payton decides to drive Wally home and pick up Beaver.

At school, Larry and Whitey commiserate with Beaver about the "dumb new kid" having moved in across the street from the Cleavers. At home, Beaver's parents encourage him to go over and introduce himself. Beaver finds the new kid, Gilbert, training for the 1968 Olympics, and hears many tales about Gilbert's and his family's glamorous accomplishments. Back home, Wally says, "Baloney!", but Beaver is smitten. The next day, having rudely dismissed Larry, Beaver waits in vain for Gilbert, to go to the movies as they'd planned. But Gilbert went to the movies with Larry and Whitey, and now they're playing football. Ward tells Beaver to quit sulking and join in the game. Beaver comes running back after a vicious tackle and Ward tells him not to come crying to him. Beaver then gets the better of a fight he picks with Gilbert, Ward and Mr. Gates coming up at the same time to separate the boys. Ward learns from Mr. Gates that the Gates family has moved often in line with his work as a professional flutist, and Gilbert, perpetually the new boy, makes up stories to hold the interest of others. Beaver realizes he himself can be pretentious when unsure of himself and sees Gilbert differently.

Guests: Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Carleton G. Young as John Gates, Stanley Fafara as Whitey Whitney, Stephen Talbot as Gilbert Gates.

Beaver and Larry stay after school by themselves to clean the blackboards. Larry, having recently been sent to the principal for punishment, tells a tale of a "spanking machine" that Mrs. Rayburn keeps to use on older boys. On his way out of the school, alone, Beaver looks for this nonexistent device, and winds up being locked in when the janitor comes by. Finding no other method of getting out, Beaver pulls the fire alarm. The Mayfield Fire Department rescues Beaver and takes him home in a fire truck. Beaver is excited, but Ward is furious and warns Beaver against making himself "conspicuous". The next day, Saturday, Beaver, while looking for a four-leaf clover, gets his head stuck between the bars in a park fence. He tells Wally, who has been sent to look for him, not to call the police or fire departments, that he doesn't want to become conspicuous again. Ward, saying everyone can blame him later for scaring his son, finds a gardener, who frees Beaver. Ward reminds Beaver always to call his parents when he's in trouble. Beaver says he'll be calling frequently while growing up.

Beaver and Wally do chores at a carnival at Metzger's Field, making Ward feel nostalgic about his youth. The boys, promised $10 apiece, are instead given an old circus horse named Nicholas. They put Nick in the garage and worry when the horse lies down, but Gus the Fireman tells them that horses will do that. A man from the Board of Health tells Ward he faces a fine for having the animal. Knowing they can't keep Nick, the boys put out an ad, but refuse to sell to a renderer. Ward contacts Mr. Payton (the father of Beaver's old friend Billy) who agrees to board Nick on his farm at Crystal Falls. Mr. Payton says the boys may visit the horse any time they wish. June tells Ward he's a very nice man, but Ward says he's just an old farmboy.

Guests: Burt Mustin as Gus the Fireman, Mike Ross as Board of Health Official, Bill Baldwin as Mr. Johnson.

Assistant-principal Mr. Willet, subbing for Miss Landers, gives a compelling talk on World War II. The students begin bragging about their fathers' roles. Beaver brags to his classmates that his father has plenty of war trophies. Mr. Willet asks Beaver to bring some trophies to school, to show. At home, Beaver looks through Ward's old trunk, but only finds surveying equipment. Ward tells him he was in the Seabees and built bases. Nevertheless, Beaver and Wally forge a letter from Ward describing a dangerous war mission. Ward finds the letter and calls Beaver's teacher before the boy gets in too deep. In school, the teacher avoids the topic of the war. Later, Ward tells Beaver that he was placed where he could do the most good, but he appreciates Beaver wanting to see him as a hero.

The Cleavers go house hunting in Madison, which would mean new schools. After his father tells him he made an offer on the house, Beaver tells his classmates he's going to move. One morning Ward says the owner accepted another, cash, offer. Later that morning Beaver's class, having secretly planned a farewell party for him, sing him a song and give him going-away gifts. Beaver doesn't know how to tell his classmates, without feeling dumb and spoiling their joy, that he won't be moving. After the party, embarrassed, he takes the gifts home. Larry drops by and Ward tells him they won't be moving. Larry believes Beaver lied to get presents. The next day, the class shuns Beaver. Miss Landers says Beaver has brought their gifts unopened back to school. Beaver wonders why the class was glad to see him go and angry that he stayed. Ward says Beaver disturbed their thinking.

Asked by June, who sees them growing apart, to clean out the garage together. Beaver and Wally find an old typewriter, given to Wally as junk. Beaver and Larry take it to Gus, who fixes it with his "special oil". They then decide to start their own newspaper. Larry becomes sick, and Beaver types the newspaper at home with the help of Wally, who initially resents the appropriation of his typewriter; and the two manage to sell the copies. Beaver plans another edition; but, the next day, Wally has a ball game and can't help Beaver. June fills in. Ward later tells Beaver he shouldn't expect his mother to help because she has other household duties. Beaver doesn't want to give up the paper and be a quitter. So Ward, saying that failed newspapers have a way of ending their runs respectably, types 'Final Edition' at the head of the page in Beaver's typewriter.

Beaver and Larry see an Eskimo-sweater - from the new, 49th state - in a store window. Larry thinks they should each have a sweater like that. Beaver talks his parents into buying it - even though, at $12.98, it's an extravagant whim - because June remembers being hurt by her parents when she was denied a gaudy, opal ring she once wanted. At school, Larry has been denied his sweater; and Beaver sees Judy wearing the same sweater as his. He now believes he's bought a girl's garment and tries various ruses to keep his parents from finding out he no longer is wearing it, finally ridding himself of the sweater by stuffing it behind a candy machine at the movies. The theater manager, finding a name tag, alerts the Cleavers. June reasons Beaver made a mistake in buying the sweater but didn't have the maturity to admit it to his parents. She tells Beaver they will give the sweater to someone who can use it. When Beaver asks his parents why they let him buy it if they knew it was wrong, Ward says that sometimes parents fear to hurt their children.

Beaver is invited to Larry Mondello's for dinner. When Wally says, "It's about time!", June responds that they don't have to match invitations. At that, Wally says that they're always talking about owing an invitation. At Larry's, Beaver and Larry have a fight over the responsibilities of hosts and guests; and Ward has to pick up a soured Beaver early. Ward tells Beaver the Greek myth of Damon and Pythias to teach him the true meaning of friendship. Then Beaver and Larry let bygones be bygones and pledge eternal friendship like Damon and Pythias. Larry takes advantage of the pledge by insisting Beaver give him his math homework. Beaver hesitates but gives Larry his homework. Beaver refuses to tell Miss Landers what happened to his homework and is punished and given a note to take home. Beaver says Larry is a "crummy Pythias." Ward says to give Larry a chance put things right. The next day, Larry confesses to Miss Landers and the boys become friends again.

Mary Ellen formally invites Wally to a cotillion and overwhelms his initial reluctance. Wally's friends are impressed, because she's "the most". Mary enters the two of them in a cha-cha contest. Wally, not wanting to admit he can't do the dance, buys an instructional record and clumsily practices in his room. Beaver and Larry find the record and, with much merriment, practice the dance. Wally is furious, breaks the record, and says he's not going to the dance. Ward enrolls Wally in a quick cha-cha crash course with a dance instructor. Wally and Mary Ellen win honorary mention at the cotillion. Ward talks about the greater embarrassment of not admitting you can't do things.

Eddie's new haircut inspires Wally to get the latest hairdo — a greasy cut called the "jellyroll". June hates it, thinking the "oil mop" makes Wally look, variously, like a tango dancer, gangster, or freak. Ward counsels patience, remembering the fads of his youth. The school principal says he cannot stifle a student's self-expression. When Lumpy adopts the "hair comb", Fred harrumphs at Ward's "do nothing" attitude. The last straw comes when Beaver styles his hair after Wally's. June reminds Wally how embarrassed he was when Beaver wore an old hat of hers to Sunday school and tells him she suffers the same sort of feeling when she sees him with his jellyroll hair-do. Wally understands and cleans his hair. Wally tells his parents they should feel free to tell him if he's doing something creepy.

Beaver and Larry are co-chairmen of the cookie committee, raising money for a class trip by selling cookies. They're conned out of three dollars by a bigger boy, Roger, in the eighth grade, who ingratiates himself by being helpful and, then, having seen their bank bag, appears faint from hunger, tells the boys a tale of woe, and reneges on his promise to pay them back. Later, the cookie company representative gives the boys overnight to replace the money. Beaver asks his father for $1.50, his share. Ward tells Beaver he may have made the mistake of trusting someone, but he won't make the mistake of not trusting his son. The boys explain things to Miss Landers, asking that she relieve them of cookie fund duty. Miss Landers tells the boys that they'd done well otherwise, and she can't think of anyone better, now that they'd learned their lesson.

Beaver answers the phone, and David Manning, a friend he hasn't seen in two years, asks him to his birthday party. Beaver forgets his promise to attend his friend's party, goes out with Larry, and Mrs. Manning calls about his non-attendance. Ward and Wally search for Beaver, while June shops for a suitable gift. Wally brings Beaver, dirtied from a newly tarred road, home. Ward hustles to give Beaver a bath. June returns with a blow-up pool float Beaver calls a baby toy. When his parents leave Wally to deliver Beaver to the party, Beaver substitutes his new camera for the float. Later, Ward and June discover the deception but understand Beaver was only thinking of David. Beaver takes the float for his bath and asks Wally why David thought of him. Wally says absence makes people seem better. Beaver says he doesn't want to see David soon and spoil a good friendship.

Beaver excitedly brings home a good report card. However, Ward is more concerned with the D in physical education, especially since Wally just lettered, and wonders at Beaver's non-competitive attitude. The next phys. ed. class is baseball practice, and Beaver performs so poorly he begins clowning around to mask his inadequacy. At first his friends laugh, but they become dismayed by his non-performance. Judy mocks Beaver with her own theatrics and hits a home run. Beaver begins worrying about the upcoming boys versus girls game. Later, Ward finds Beaver practicing his swing at the school baseball field. Beaver tells his father it's permissible to fool around for your friends but only if you can really perform when it counts. He scores well in the game. He credits Judy's performance earlier for inspiring his own effort.

Guests: Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Jeri Weil as Judy Hensler, Stanley Fafara as Whitey Whitney, Robert Carson as Coach Grover.

After Beaver is refused an advance on his allowance, Larry offers to treat him to the carnival. After Larry's mother refuses to advance her son the money needed, Larry filches his mother's emergency money and tosses it out the window. When Beaver comes over, Larry takes him in the yard and they "find" the money, Larry surmising that a pilot dropped it from a passing plane, and they go to the carnival, where Larry seems guilt-ridden. Mrs. Mondello telephones the Cleavers, tells them her money is missing and the boys are not about. When Beaver returns from the carnival his parents send him to his room until they can get to the bottom of things. Mrs. Mondello brings Larry to Ward, because his own father is out of town and it will take a man to get to the truth. The truth is discovered, but only when Larry defends Beaver, saying he knew nothing about the theft. Beaver is not punished but Larry is taken home to "pull weeds for the rest of his life."

Guests: Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, "Tiger" Fafara as Tooey Brown, Madge Blake as Mrs. Mondello, Eddie Marr as Carnival Barker.

Beaver's class is assigned the composition theme: "The Most Interesting Character I Have Ever Known". Beaver decides to write about his father for the assignment when Judy chooses to write about her father. At home, Ward is delighted that Beaver wants to write about him; but, after following his father about for the afternoon, Beaver decides Ward is boring. June suggests that Beaver write about what his father means to him rather than trying to list interesting things about him. Beaver writes a simple composition that moves Ward deeply.

Guests: Sue Randall as Miss Landers, Rusty Stevens as Larry Mondello, Jeri Weil as Judy Hensler, Stanley Fafara as Whitey Whitney.