05x30 - Opie Flunks Arithmetic

[bunniefuu]

Starring Andy Griffith...

With Ronny Howard...

Also starring Don knotts.

What are you doing?

There's a fly in here
about to drive me crazy.

Come on in.
Sit down and talk with me.

How come you're out of school
so early?

We had an assembly--
got out minutes early.

There he is.
Where?

Climbing up the wall
over there.

How'd it go today?

Oh, fine.

It's a little hard for
the children to concentrate

at this time of the year.

Give them a problem,
and instead of working it out,

they're all lined up
at the pencil sharpener.

Wait a minute.
Don't move.

Don't move.

Don't move. Don't move.
Don't move. Don't move.

Unh!
Ahh.

Whew! I'm sorry, but I've
been after him so long,

it seemed like
I couldn't help it.

Well, I'm glad I stopped by
so I could be of some use.

Well, we k*lled him.

Oh, oh, oh, oh.
By the way...

What?
Uh, there.

What is that?
It's nothing serious.

We just have to make out
these forms.

Opie got a "d"
in arithmetic?

Well, it happens.
He's not the only one.

It just means
he probably should study more.

I'll get after him.

How's he doin' on
the other stuff?

Oh, fine.
Opie's very bright.

Yeah. He takes after
me a good bit.

Oh, indeed, he does.

Hi, paw.

Speak of the devil.

Hi, miss crump.

I'll see you later.

Bye-bye.

Bye, miss crump.

I made four touchdowns
today during recess.

Is that a fact?

Hey, paw, can I get
one of those jerseys

with the numbers on 'em?

They're good
for football.

You never have
to wash 'em.

I tell ya what--

let's forget football
for a while

and talk about arithmetic.

Miss crump says
you're not doin' too well.

Well, I study.

Is there something
about arithmetic

you don't understand?

Well, we're goin'
into long division now.

Yeah.

I hate it.

Well, why should arithmetic

be harder for ya
than anything else?

I have to erase a lot.

Sometimes
I get a hole in the paper

and have to do it
all over again.

Sometimes the bell rings
before I'm finished.

Oh, I see.

If they had better paper,
I think I could get

a good Mark.

I tell ya what--
tonight after supper

we'll have a little session
on long division.

Okay, paw.

Oh, hi, everybody.

Hi, Barney.

Been playin'
football, huh, ope?

I ought to take you
out in back

and show you how
to handle this thing.

I gotta meet the kids.

"r*fle Fife" they
used to call me.

b*llet passes, you know.

They still talk about
me at the high school.

Can I have it now,
Barney?

It's all in the
way you hold it.

You gotta grab it
right in the center.

Johnny unitas
of the Baltimore colts

holds it at the end.

Oh... well...

Everybody has his own system,
I guess.

Can I go now?

Oh, well, sure.

Okay. So long, paw.

Bye, Barney.

I'll see ya, ope.

You gotta catch these
kids when they're young.

Yeah.

"Your son, Opie Taylor,
unsatisfactory"?

Oh, that's just
kind of a form letter.

"D"?

Mm-hmm. He's gonna
study some more.

Well, I'd say he has
to study a lot more.

You're lettin' him
go play football?

Sure.

Well, it's none
of my business.

You're the boy's father.

It's unbelievable.

What?

Nothing.

In this day and age...

You gonna tell me
what you're mumbling about?

If your boy
is failin' in arithmetic

you'd think you'd have him
studyin' all the time.

Oh, he's gonna study.

Okay, okay.

Arithmetic's probably

the most important subject
there is.

How do you
expect this country

to maintain its position
in world leadership

if our kids
are flunkin' arithmetic?

He's not flunkin',
and I'm gonna work with him.

Are you qualified?

It's just long division.

I think I can handle that.

Well, for Opie's sake
I certainly hope so.

How you doin', ope?

Oh, hi, paw.
I'm workin'.

That's good.

Suppose we take
a little turn

at that long division
we was talkin' about?

Oh, okay.

Now, the main thing
in studyin' any subject

is to understand exactly
what you're doin' all the time.

I know.

Just understand it
step by step.

Now, suppose we start with a,
with a simple problem.

We'll take, say, uh,

and we'll divide that
into, oh, .

Okay.

Okay, now, put your down
on the left

draw ya a line up and over

and then put your
under there.

Why do you do that, paw?

'Cause that's the way
you do it.

When we give an answer

we have to tell why
we do something.

Miss crump says
we'll never be able

to do
higher mathematics later on

unless we know
why we do things.

Well, that makes sense.

That certainly makes sense.

The reason that you put the
down on the left

is uh, uh, uh...

Is-is because, uh...
That's the rule.

But she'll ask us why
you put it on the left.

She will?

Yeah.

Well, uh...

We probably better not tackle
too much the first night.

Just put the down
on the left

okay, draw ya a line
up and over

and shove your
under there.

Oh, okay.

Okay. Now, how many times
go into ?

Once.

Put your one on top there.

Okay, now,
what you got left over?

Uh, one times is

subtract and, uh,
have left over.

This...

Bring down the nine.

Bring down your nine.

Now, how many times
go into ?

goes into ...

... twice.

Twice. That's it.

Now whatcha got left over?

Well, two times
four is eight

and two times one is two.

And you subtract and
you have one left over.

That's it.

Now, put down a decimal point
and two zeroes.

Why?

What do you mean, why?

Just, why?

Well, uh, you put down
your decimal point

because you're going to put down
two zeroes after that.

And, well, the reason

you put down a decimal point
and two zeroes

is so's that you can, uh,
you can keep dividin', see

and-and shove that number
on out there

and that way
you can keep thinkin' about it

and-and workin' on it
and everything

until you finally get it done.

You understand?

No.

Well, it'll come to ya.

That's probably enough
for tonight.

These things have a way of

of, uh, clearin' up
suddenly sometimes.

Oh.

Oh, there you are.

I wondered
where you were.

Well, we were
just goin' over a few things.

I'm glad you're starting
your homework early.

Yeah.

If you have any problems,

you just ask your father.

He'll help you.

Hi, aunt bee.

Oh, hello, Barney.

Can I drive you home?

Well, no, thank you.

Clara Edwards
is picking me up.

Looks like a good supper.

Well, I hope so.

Did Andy work with Opie
last night?

Work with Opie?

Yeah, on his
arithmetic.

Well, he was in his room,
I know...

If he didn't say anything
about it, forget it.

He's probably
tryin' to hush it up.

Hush up what?

Well, I suppose
you'll hear about it

sooner or later that, uh...

Opie's doin' unsatisfactory
in his arithmetic.

It's kind of a danger point.

Oh, dear, I didn't know.

He probably
didn't want to worry ya.

You know,
these things can be a shock.

Arithmetic.

That's funny--
I was bad in arithmetic, too.

It's probably
in the genes then.

I think if Opie applies himself
a little more...

Well, you know
easygoing Andy.

He thinks it's nothing
to worry about.

He hasn't made a study
of dropouts the way I have.

You don't think Opie's going
to be a dropout, do you?

Well, let me put it this way--
ifwas the boy's father

I'd be going into the situation
in some depth.

Oh, my!

I didn't mean to
upset you, aunt bee.

None of my business.

And there's a good chance

everything'll work out
all right.

Well, I'm glad you told me.

Well, what are friends for?

I'll see ya.

Andy...

Hmm?

I met Barney today.

He said something about
Opie's arithmetic.

Oh, I wish he'd stop makin'
such a big deal out of this.

Well, he is doing
unsatisfactory work

isn't he?

Well, yeah,
but he'll get straightened out.

I can't imagine how

unless we do
something about it.

He's gonna do more studyin'.

I don't want Opie
to be a dropout.

A dropout?

Is that what Barney said?

Well, Barney seems to be

very familiar
with the problem.

He seems familiar
with all problems.

He thinks he's an expert
on everything.

Actually,
I can't think of anybody

who knows less about this
than he does.

Hi.

Hi.

How are ya, aunt bee?

Fine, Barney.

I heard ya
outside the door.

Who were you
talkin' about?

What?

You were talking about
somebody who's

an expert
on everything.

Nobody you know.

People like that drive me crazy.

I make it a point
to steer clear of 'em.
Yeah.

I happened to see
this magazine

and there's an article
in here

about the bleak future
facin' our next generation.

I thought you might like
to read it.

Why?

Well, you know...
Opie and everything.

I'd like to read it.

Some pretty frightening
statistics in there.

Really?

Well, you take
your kid today

that drops out or only gets
a high school diploma--

he's obsolete.

A horse-and-buggy man
in a jet age.

That's how fast
things are changin'.

Oh, Barney.
That magazine's
already a year old.

Will you forget it?

That's a fine attitude to take.

I came across some information

that I thought any parent
of a child preparin' for college

would like to know,
that's all.

Who says
Opie's preparing for college?

He sure wasn't when I seen him
runnin' down the street.

Andy, I always thought of Opie
as going to college.

I never said he won't.

Well, statistics show...

We're not talkin'
about statistics.

We're talkin' about
one boy, Opie Taylor

and if Opie can't have
a little trouble with arithmetic

without his whole future
goin' down the drain

then this country's
in trouble.

It's the world
we live in, ange.

Have you given any thought

to sending him
to a vocational school?

There's a wonderful school
in mt. Pilot in meat cuttin'.

If I hear one more word
about Opie's studies...

All right, all right.

I just thought

you might want to know
where his abilities lie.

Barney has a point there,
Andy.

I don't want to hear it.

Okay, okay.

If you want to discuss it
some more

I'll be over at my place.

See ya, aunt bee.

Bye, Barney.

Now-now, let me,
let me get this straight--

you didn't think

it was so all-fired
important, did you?

Well, no.

It's-it's
just one of those things

that should
be corrected.

Let me ask ya this:

Suppose Opie never does

get to be any great shakes
at arithmetic.

Could that keep him
out of college?

It's true it's getting more
difficult to get in college.

The competition's keen.

Then you're saying
it could be serious.

Well, I didn't say that.

What about vocational schools?

Are they hard to get into?

No, I don't suppose so.

Uh-huh.

And if he doesn't improve
in his arithmetic

it is possible that that
could keep him out of college?

Well, I suppose it could.

I got to go home.

Andy...

I'll be back.

Hi, paw.

Get upstairs.

Huh?

I said get upstairs

and study your
arithmetic.

Gee, Barn, paw asked me
to go right home and study.

Well, this'll only take
a few minutes, ope

and it might be important
to you.

Well, I guess
it'll be okay.

Now, have you ever heard
of a vocational school?

No.

That's a school

where they teach you
a trade

as opposed to
a profession

where you have to go
to college.

See? Now, sit down.

Now, what I have here
is an aptitude test.

I already had
three tests today, Barney.

Well, this one's different.

Now, you comfortable?

Yeah.

Perfectly relaxed?
I think so.

Okay, here we go.

"If you had a choice,
what would you do:

Read a book or build a boat?"

Take your
time, now.

I think I'd build a boat
during the afternoon

and read a book
when I went to bed.

Uh, well,
suppose you only had time

to do just the one thing.

Well, if it was Saturday...

One thing, ope.

Let's narrow this down, now.

Well, I guess I'd read a book.

Good. You'd read a book. Okay.

Read a book about what?

Maybe about
building a boat?

All right, we'll go on
to the next one here.

"If somebody were
to present you

"with a gift,
would you prefer

an electric motor..."

Now, listen
carefully.

"...or a chemistry set?"

Now, that's a simple,
direct question

right on the line.
Now, think, Opie.

What size chemistry set?

What difference what size?!
It's a chemistry set! It
has chemicals in it!

Johnny Paul
has number-one size

and it doesn't have
all those chemicals

where you can make bombs
that smell like rotten eggs.

This one makes the b*mb.

The one in the red box?

What difference does it make?!

Well, I guess I'd take
the electric motor.

Huh. Good. Now, you'd take
the electric motor?

Is that motor ac or DC?

Come on, ope!

What's going on?

What are you
doing here?

Taking a test, paw.

Uh, I was just, uh,
giving him a vocational test

in case he don't
go to college.

I see.

Uh, ope, why don't
you just run on home

and get on
your homework?

I haven't finished.

You're finished.
Come on, ope.

Okay, paw.

Barney?

Uh, I'll handle
this, okay?

I was just trying
to help the boy, Andy

in case
he can't quite...

Well, you know,
in case he don't go to college.

He's going to college.

Oh, well, fine,
I'm all for that

but, I mean,
if he's falling behind...

He's not gonna fall behind.

Well, good, good.

No question
the boy has potential.

You know,
if I was in your place

I'd recommend...

Don't recommend
anything.

Fine, fine, well,
I'll get out on patrol.

Do that.

I'll see you tonight.

Tonight?

Yeah. Aunt bee invited me over
for supper

in case you wanted
to talk about it.

Opie, you haven't even
touched your cake.

I don't feel like any,
aunt bee.

But it's the kind you like.

Oh, I think
I'll go up and study.

That's a good idea.

Go on upstairs
and study.

Okay, paw.

I just hope
he's all right.

He's been
studying so hard.

No football
or anything.

Oh, that's
good for him.

Can't get grades
if your mind's on football.

Well, I'm wondering
is this studying so important?

Yes.

I happened to be talking

to Mr. Foley
in the grocery store

and you know what he told me?

What?

He told me
Einstein was a dropout.

Well, that was some time back,
aunt bee.

It was a little easier
to get by then.

And besides, who knows
how far he might have gone

if he hadn't been a dropout?

It just seems to me

there should be
a happy medium someplace.

All work and no play
makes Jack a dull boy.

Oh, he gets all the
play he needs at recess.

It's a planned curriculum,
aunt bee.

I mean, the school board
works out a proper balance

between mind and body.

I suppose so.

I think you're on
the right track, ange.

That's good to know.

Ange, have you
given any thought

to when he gets
to college?

What he's going
to study?

Well, for
heaven's sakes

let's let him get
in college first.

Well, I didn't mean
to upset you.

College.

People have always said
I should have gone.

I had a real bent
toward chemistry, they said.

I got a's almost
all the time

in high school.

And years later,
when that movie came out

about madame curie

well, by that time,
it was too late.

Just think, aunt bee.

You might have been
madame curie.

Well, she was exceptional.

And French.

Yeah.

Well, I blew my chance
at the big ball of wax

right in
high school.

My mind wandered.

I could sit and stare
at the same page for hours.

My mind just wandered.

Wandered toward what?

Oh, girls, mostly.

I wasted
a lot of time.

Well, not wasted.

I had a good
connection, too--

the f.B.I.

Yeah, a direct line.

My uncle knew a man

who used to do a lot
of their plumbing in Washington.

Of course,
they only took college grads.

As plumbers?

As f.B.I. Men.

Well, I'm due
over at Thelma Lou's.

Thanks for the supper,
aunt bee.

It was delicious,
as usual.

It was nice having you,
Barney.

Ahh.

Listen, I'll be over there
all evening, ange,

if you want to discuss it
some more.

No, I think we got it
all settled.

Yeah, well,
I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay.
I'll see ya.

Oh, hi.

Hi.

What's the matter?

It's Opie.
I want to talk to you about him.

What's happened now?

Well, I'm afraid

I'm partly
responsible for this.

Ever since I brought you
that message about him--

about his arithmetic--
and we talked about college

well, he's been
doing worse.

Worse?!

What's the matter with him?!

I've made him study harder

and cut out football,
and everything.

Well, maybe that's it.

What do you mean?

You're carrying it
a little too far.

Too far?!

If he's not doing well
at his schoolwork

then he'll have
to study harder,
that's all.

Don't be
a hysterical parent.

I'm not hysterical.

If he's not
cuttin' the mustard

he's gonna have
to work harder!

But not letting him
play football

and pressuring him...
Well, children have nerves, too.

I took the Liberty
of telling him

he could go out
and play football

this afternoon.

You shouldn't do that.

I'm his father.

I'm aware of that.

I'm just trying to help the boy.

It's wrong when one person
tells him to do one thing

and another person tells him
to do something else.

I told him to study.

I'm sorry if I'm encroaching
on your territory, Mr. Taylor

but do you realize that
if you push a child too hard

it can do a lot more harm
than a poor grade?

And anyway, I don't think your
way's been too darn successful.

Hi, ope.

Hi, paw.

How you doing?

Okay, I guess.

I, uh, understand
you played football today.

Yes, paw.
Miss crump said I could.

I know.

How'd you do?

Not too good.

We lost.

You lost?

Yeah. I fumbled a lot.

Oh.

Lately, I don't play too good.

Uh...

Opie, uh, I think

that you're probably
as good a football player

as you ever were.

I think the reason

that you're not playing
too good right now

is because you got, uh, you got
too much on your mind...

And i'm, I'm afraid
that I'm to blame for that.

So, I'll tell you what we'll do.

I'll just quit pushing you
so hard, okay?

Okay.

And you go ahead
and...

Be a little boy...

And do the best you can.

And, uh...

Try not to fumble so much.

Okay.

Okay.

Paw?

Hmm?

Thanks.

So you think you got things
pretty well under control, huh?

I think so.

We worked out a kind of
a middle-of-the-road plan.

What do you mean?

Certain amount of play,
certain amount of study,
within limits.

Hi!
Oh, hi!

I could hardly wait
to come over.

I have something
I want to tell you.

Well, how's our
problem pupil doing?

Well, now, he's not
a problem pupil,

and he never has been.

As long as you ask,
I must tell you,

he's making
very good progress.

We had a test this morning,
and he made a b-plus.

No kidding--
a b

maybe that'll fire him up
to make some a's.

That's usually
the way it works.

Well, I don't know
about that.

What?

Kid starts studying
too much,

gets an "a" in some subject,
that could spell trouble.

Trouble?

What are you
talking about, Barney?

Well, it could start
a whole chain of events.

If a kid gets an "a"
in one subject,

he'll want more a's.

Start staying up
late at night, studying,

straining his eyes.

Before you know it,
he'll need glasses.

Probably start
losing weight, too.

Uh, you want to get Helen
a cup of coffee?

Get stooped shoulder from
leaning over a desk too much.

And lose interest
in other things,

like sports and girls
and things like that.

Then, eventually,
he becomes an introvert,

winds up being
a complete misfit.

Now, I'm not saying
that's actually gonna happen.

All i'm--