Back to late nights with Perry, Della and Paul at LohPlace. Last night's episode had Perry vacationing in an idyllic high-country fishing and camping area, Placer Hill. The local peace is disrupted by teens on motorcycles and a teacher has been targeted for dismissal from her job. PM has a chance meeting with Jane Wardman (played by Mona Freeman -- back when she was a familiar face on TV dramas) and determines almost immediately that she could use his help.
Several of the parents (meddling mothers) and students have ganged up on the young widow, smearing her reputation and trying to force her to resign. An anonymous letter accuses her of making passes at the boys in her Senior English class. The “boys” look to be about her age. It was unnerving to watch the students' classroom behavior. She'd ask a question and if anyone could be roused to reply, it was something rude. The strain of trying to hold a class together when the students prefer to be led by their bullying peers must be awful.
One of the town patriarchs had cautioned Mrs. Wardman when she took her teaching job two years earlier that she was an outsider and would have a hard time fitting in. So 50 years ago, small-town life was depicted the same way as it is today.
Judge: This is an old-fashioned town, in-grown and living in its mining past. You were a woman who somehow got hold of Bill Wardman while he was a geologist out in the far east, brought him home to die, then tried to take his place. In the eyes of some people, you're still a stranger.
The ringleader among the students is Pat Mangan, who is flabby, aimless loser.
Mrs. Wardman: Don’t call him a “boy.” He’s old enough to be in the Army.
After receiving the anonymous letter of lurid accusations, the school board asked the local M.D. his opinion of Mrs. Wardman's emotional state. Was she unable to control herself around the kids and was she a danger to her students?
Dr.: I ventured no opinion.
PM: That was very courageous of you, Doctor. (The look)
Even though he's miles away from Los Angeles, Perry doesn't hesitate to ask his friend Paul Drake to drop everything and come investigate some things for him.
PM: There’s something odd here. The whole town stirred up and so rapidly.
Paul gets into a couple of physical encounters with Pat Mangan. But Pat is flabby and Paul has some moves. He doesn't even have to unbutton his sport jacket. Pat is universally admired by the community.
Principal: He’s a bully and a sadist but I don’t know about attacking a stranger.
This was an offbeat episode. Maybe it marks a change in the tenor of the show. I prefer the standard formula but I can understand why the producers began to look for fresh fields to till.
Several of the parents (meddling mothers) and students have ganged up on the young widow, smearing her reputation and trying to force her to resign. An anonymous letter accuses her of making passes at the boys in her Senior English class. The “boys” look to be about her age. It was unnerving to watch the students' classroom behavior. She'd ask a question and if anyone could be roused to reply, it was something rude. The strain of trying to hold a class together when the students prefer to be led by their bullying peers must be awful.
One of the town patriarchs had cautioned Mrs. Wardman when she took her teaching job two years earlier that she was an outsider and would have a hard time fitting in. So 50 years ago, small-town life was depicted the same way as it is today.
Judge: This is an old-fashioned town, in-grown and living in its mining past. You were a woman who somehow got hold of Bill Wardman while he was a geologist out in the far east, brought him home to die, then tried to take his place. In the eyes of some people, you're still a stranger.
The ringleader among the students is Pat Mangan, who is flabby, aimless loser.
Mrs. Wardman: Don’t call him a “boy.” He’s old enough to be in the Army.
After receiving the anonymous letter of lurid accusations, the school board asked the local M.D. his opinion of Mrs. Wardman's emotional state. Was she unable to control herself around the kids and was she a danger to her students?
Dr.: I ventured no opinion.
PM: That was very courageous of you, Doctor. (The look)
Even though he's miles away from Los Angeles, Perry doesn't hesitate to ask his friend Paul Drake to drop everything and come investigate some things for him.
PM: There’s something odd here. The whole town stirred up and so rapidly.
Paul gets into a couple of physical encounters with Pat Mangan. But Pat is flabby and Paul has some moves. He doesn't even have to unbutton his sport jacket. Pat is universally admired by the community.
Principal: He’s a bully and a sadist but I don’t know about attacking a stranger.
This was an offbeat episode. Maybe it marks a change in the tenor of the show. I prefer the standard formula but I can understand why the producers began to look for fresh fields to till.