Father Knows Best

- Season 4

(1957)

Bud is extremely excited for the new school year to start. He is, however, shocked to find a very popular teacher has not returned but has been replaced by a Mr. Beckman. The rest of the class wants to make trouble for Beckman, but Bud stands up and shows he is willing to accept the new man and help him win the confidence of the rest of the class.

Betty is excited to be chosen as tutor for the football team. Her enthusiasm wanes when she is teamed up with Muley Orkin, a socially awkward young man. The tutoring goes poorly as Muley has trouble concentrating and is clearly infatuated with Betty. Although she is dismissive of his advances she is pleased to hear him succeed in a football game. After the game Muley stops by and ask Betty to a dance which she refuses because she already has a date. After a group of girls visit the house looking for Muley, Betty decides she needs to protect Muley and agrees to change ...

Margaret receives the title deeds to a second property; Jim suggests she take responsibility for cleaning and renting out the property. They meet the neighbor, Mr. Boomhauer, who is a very unpleasant man who does his best to talk down the property. Margaret is served with court papers after she begins work on the property that endangers his rose garden. Margret goes to talk to Mr. Boomhauer to discover the real source of his concern is the fact Margaret as a woman is trying to run a business. The court arrives at a judgment, but Margaret and Mr. Boomhauer need to ...

Bud is convinced to join the school committee for a yearly picnic. He ends up being up in charge. When others do not pitch in, Bud ends up having things go wrong.

The Anderson's former gardener returns for a visit to get help with his new job. Fronk is going to be a gardener for a government building but first has to pass a civil service exam. The Anderson's pitch in to help him study.

Problems arise, as a result of Margaret enrolling in her daughter Betty's junior college English class.

Bud finds out he is considered one of the football team's best player. He thinks he can do just about anything. But when he does breaks one of the team rules, he is suspended from playing one game - against a strong team.

Kathy's class has to write a civil war essay. The essays will be entered in a contest and the winner will meet Greer Garson who is in town for the premier of her period-piece civil war movie. Kathy is convinced she will win.

When there is nothing to eat for breakfast, the kids think Jim should get upset. They think he is just too reasonable. However, when it is time to teach Margaret to drive, he is not as reasonable.

Bud is annoyed at Kathy being irresponsible, and tells Jim and Margaret they need to be firm with her. Jim and Margaret decided to let him have a chance at child-rearing. Bud finds it more difficult than he realized.

Betty reads a story she wrote for school involving her family. In the story a devil named Harry Beal is trying to get the children's souls, Jim fights him and agrees his soul in exchange for his kids. But will the family let him sacrifice his soul?

Kathy makes a wish on an old horseshoe that she'll get a pony, and she'll name him Cookie.

Bud is thinking of joining the army after he is out of school in two years. Margaret starts treating him with exceptional kindness because she will lose her son.

Betty becomes a counselor for a 3-day summer camp - the same camp Kathy is attending. When Betty finds out Kathy has been reading her diary, Betty decides to make Kathy work hard at camp.

Bud gets a set of bongo drums. He envisions himself as a musician that all the girls will love. However, his practice drives the family crazy.

Kathy's class was assigned to write a biography of their fathers, and Jim is one of the father's invited to be honored. Kathy is excited to have her father attend the meeting. Jim is asked to attend a business meeting the same day and time.

A friend of Betty's seems to juggle boyfriends all the time, and Betty feels bored with her constant boyfriend. Betty gets asked out by another classmate and decides to try the exciting life with two boyfriends.

Bud tries his hand at mind-reading.

Jim worries that Margaret is spending a lot of time with a furniture maker and his wife, helping them solve their problems. Margaret does not seem to have enough time anymore to be with her own family.

The Andersons' neighbor accuses Bud of causing property damage because his jacket was left in the yard. Bud denies doing the damage but evidence points to him. Betty says it is circumstantial evidence and says they should hold a trial.

Betty is excited about a date with a popular guy at college and wants to make sure the family looks their best. That includes making Bud clean up and moving his old jalopy. Turns out Bud already met the family and did them a favor.

Bud and Betty's cousin Millie visits the Andersons. Betty is upset to share her room and have a country bumpkin in town. Jim tells Betty she has to help Millie make friends. Millie shows up and is beautiful and gives Betty a new outlook.

Jim Anderson surprises his son Bud with a new hunting rifle and promises to take him hunting for the weekend. Bud wonders aloud if they really will go on this trip together - just the two of them - because in the past, their father-son dates were often interrupted by Margaret and the girls. No sooner does Jim give Bud his word when Margaret asks Jim to drive her to visit an ailing relative who lives out of town. Bud takes a step back and makes an observation: women seem to have their men henpecked. Even Betty's boyfriend Ralph lets her have her way. However, Bud ...

The Insurance Company where Jim works is buying a new building for expansion. The building is a local hangout for Betty's college, and the students love it. The students campaign to stop the sale of the building and repair the old building.

A classmate has a crush on Bud, but he thinks of her has just a friend. Bud develops a crush on a woman who is older, but she does not think of Bud that way. Bud now feels the pangs of unrequited love.

Betty confides in Margaret that she is hiding skates for a friend. Bud confides in Margaret that he broke a hidden pair of binoculars. Kathy confides in Margaret that she ruined the skates Betty hid. Margaret has a hard time keeping secrets

Someone leaves a dog at the Anderson's front door late at night, rings the doorbell, and then leaves the dog. The Anderson's take care of it until they can find the dog's owner.

Bud wins awards from track, and the family talks about all the metals, ribbons, and plaques stored in drawers. They decide to build a trophy case. Everyone has something to give - except Margaret. She sets out to win something.

With all of Betty's male friends out of town, she does not have a date for the town fair. Since a new neighbor's daughter talks Bud into taking her, Jim and Margaret tell Betty to talk the neighbor's son into taking her.

Jim has a lot of work to complete before he has to leave town for a business trip. As he tries to work, it seems everyone in the family needs just a few minutes of his time.

Bud interviews a business man for a school project. He finds out the owner never finished high school and yet is a successful man. Bud decides he can do what the man did, and wants to quit school. Betty is running for class president.

Bud is voted the most popular boy in school and thinks he has to keep up appearances in dress and actions. He wants new shoes and clothes for an upcoming dance. He gets embarrassed when the shoes hurt his feet at the award ceremony.

After attending a lecture at school, Betty is enthused about making a difference in the world. Betty's decides to help the neighborhood by getting one neighbor to cut a hedge that is a blind spot and causes accidents.