This episode is probably more on target today then it was when it aired in 1960 as it focuses on what today is referred to as high-stakes testing. In this episode, it's taking an I.Q. test. I remember those from grammar, junior high, and high school. We always thought of them as interesting, but "back in the day" we never got stressed over taking them. We thought taking the SAT's and ACT's were fun. There was no such thing as SAT prep. It was assumed if you did your regular school work you were ready.
When Wally's principal asks for Ward to come in, Beaver figures Wally must be in trouble. A note from a principal is bad enough, but to have the dad come in must mean disaster. But it was nothing, the principal just wanted an opportunity to talk with Wally and Ward together to discuss Wally's future. You know, college and stuff like that. Beaver is just surprised a principal would have a nice talk with a parent and student.
Later that evening, Wally is trying to do his homework; but Beaver keeps him distracted by blowing up and then releasing balloons. That's when Ward arrives to check on Wally's work, and he is disturbed at Beaver's laissez faire attitude toward school work. June believes Ward is over-worrying the issue: Beaver is in fifth-grade and is still a long way off from getting ready for college.
Beaver has a chat with Gus the fireman, and is surprised to learn Gus had an older brother. When he was a boy, Gus' dad designated the older brother as the smart one; Gus, the good-natured one. Even Gus tells Beaver that today you have to study hard in school to be ready for a good job. The easy-going days from Gus' youth are long over.
In school the next day, Beaver has his principal, Mrs. Rayburn, sitting in as Miss Landers is away. Mrs. Rayburn announces that the next day the children will be taking I.Q. tests. After school, the kids are discussing the test. Penny claims if you flunk the I.Q. test that they send you to dumb school. And then Penny says Beaver is already on his way to dumb school as even now he's in the dumb reading group. Beaver protests saying he's just in the second reading group. Beaver asks Wally if he took any I.Q. tests and what they were like. Wally does his best to explain, but all he does is increase Beaver's anxiety. June tries to console Beaver, then Beaver starts reading some of the books in his Dad's library, obviously trying to catch up by reading the entire Encyclopedia overnight.
At school Beaver is taking the test, and his anxiety keeps going up as both Penny and Whitey finish their booklets before the bell rings signaling the finish. At their lockers, Penny, Whitey, and Harry are talking about some of their responses. Penny, of course, claims she only had to use half her brain. But the big news is Mrs. Rayburn has already been on the phone to June to let her know Beaver did well and is in the top ten percent. Meanwhile Beaver is upstairs in a funk. June didn't tell him how well he did, she waited so Ward could give him the good news. Beaver is happy that now he won't have to go to dumb school. But Ward says that now he will have even greater expectations for Beaver so that he lives up to his potential. Now Beaver wonders if doing well was such a good thing.
At the end of the episode, Beaver is trying to read The Last of the Mohicans for school, but he would rather be out playing. He finally decides it's better to keep reading and do his best which makes Ward feel proud of his son. I hope the writers were having some fun when they chose Fennimore Cooper's novel for Beaver to read at the end. By conservative standards, the readability of the novel using Flesch-Kincaid would be set at the 11th grade, making it a real challenge for a fifth-grader like the Beaver. From my experience, it would be a stretch today for a lot of college students. And if Beaver is reading the novel in one sitting, he really is a genius.
When Wally's principal asks for Ward to come in, Beaver figures Wally must be in trouble. A note from a principal is bad enough, but to have the dad come in must mean disaster. But it was nothing, the principal just wanted an opportunity to talk with Wally and Ward together to discuss Wally's future. You know, college and stuff like that. Beaver is just surprised a principal would have a nice talk with a parent and student.
Later that evening, Wally is trying to do his homework; but Beaver keeps him distracted by blowing up and then releasing balloons. That's when Ward arrives to check on Wally's work, and he is disturbed at Beaver's laissez faire attitude toward school work. June believes Ward is over-worrying the issue: Beaver is in fifth-grade and is still a long way off from getting ready for college.
Beaver has a chat with Gus the fireman, and is surprised to learn Gus had an older brother. When he was a boy, Gus' dad designated the older brother as the smart one; Gus, the good-natured one. Even Gus tells Beaver that today you have to study hard in school to be ready for a good job. The easy-going days from Gus' youth are long over.
In school the next day, Beaver has his principal, Mrs. Rayburn, sitting in as Miss Landers is away. Mrs. Rayburn announces that the next day the children will be taking I.Q. tests. After school, the kids are discussing the test. Penny claims if you flunk the I.Q. test that they send you to dumb school. And then Penny says Beaver is already on his way to dumb school as even now he's in the dumb reading group. Beaver protests saying he's just in the second reading group. Beaver asks Wally if he took any I.Q. tests and what they were like. Wally does his best to explain, but all he does is increase Beaver's anxiety. June tries to console Beaver, then Beaver starts reading some of the books in his Dad's library, obviously trying to catch up by reading the entire Encyclopedia overnight.
At school Beaver is taking the test, and his anxiety keeps going up as both Penny and Whitey finish their booklets before the bell rings signaling the finish. At their lockers, Penny, Whitey, and Harry are talking about some of their responses. Penny, of course, claims she only had to use half her brain. But the big news is Mrs. Rayburn has already been on the phone to June to let her know Beaver did well and is in the top ten percent. Meanwhile Beaver is upstairs in a funk. June didn't tell him how well he did, she waited so Ward could give him the good news. Beaver is happy that now he won't have to go to dumb school. But Ward says that now he will have even greater expectations for Beaver so that he lives up to his potential. Now Beaver wonders if doing well was such a good thing.
At the end of the episode, Beaver is trying to read The Last of the Mohicans for school, but he would rather be out playing. He finally decides it's better to keep reading and do his best which makes Ward feel proud of his son. I hope the writers were having some fun when they chose Fennimore Cooper's novel for Beaver to read at the end. By conservative standards, the readability of the novel using Flesch-Kincaid would be set at the 11th grade, making it a real challenge for a fifth-grader like the Beaver. From my experience, it would be a stretch today for a lot of college students. And if Beaver is reading the novel in one sitting, he really is a genius.
