Episode 1 - The Outrage

(Two hour episode) (20 November 1980)
Writers: Rod Peterson & Claire Whittaker.
Director: Philip Leacock.
Music: Alexander Courage

"By the Spring of 1945 there were no young men left on Waltons Mountain, though with the Allied forces close to victory in Europe, hope grew that soon they'd be returning home. The cost of defending our freedoms ran high, and in our patriotic fervor we sometimes failed to realise that those freedoms were too often not evenly distributed".

Part 1

Harley Foster works with John in preparing a load of lumber for delivery. Verdie brings Harley his forgotten lunch while Rose hands John a thermos of hot coffee as the pair drive off. Rose tells Verdie that Serena and Jeffrey are now living with their father who has recently remarried. Drew Cutler walks up to Elizabeth wondering why she has forgotten their date. She is busy tending to the Walton’s new mare, Molly, and her fold, Pepper.

During the delivery, the truck’s engine overheats forcing John to change the fan belt. Harley enters the Elite Café in order to refill the thermos. Inside a deputy sheriff watches over a German P.O.W. work gang as the prisoners eat at the lunch counter. John enters to hear Harley being refused service. John criticizes the police officer and restaurant owner for serving German prisoners but not a W.W.I veteran with a son currently in the war. Upon hearing Harley’s name the Deputy believes he knows of the man, and writes down John’s license plate number as the men drive off.

Mary Ellen and Erin find Cindy trying to milk Chance. Thinking she is too delicate for such farming chores the sisters divide up her duties. Cindy does not understand why she can’t learn to help out.

Ben and his outfit listen to a speech given by FDR. Afterwards, the Chief tells his men to be ready to ship out for a combat zone at a moment’s notice. He commands Walton and Norman to return to their barracks job.

In the morning, Mary Ellen, Erin, and Elizabeth write letters to their brothers and tell Rose not to allow Cindy to perform any difficult chores. Ike is opening the store when Corabeth has a vision of becoming a real estate agent after seeing a post-war boon newspaper article. Ike thinks it is a disastrous idea after the results of her past projects of a dancing school, beauty parlor, hat store, and tea parlor. Ike wonders why women can’t be more like his mother who made their home a wonderful place in which to grow up. At the mill, Ep tells John he is looking for Harley because he has been accused of killing a man and escaping from prison eight years ago.

Corabeth informs her husband that she has decided to resign from her duties at the store in order to become more like his mother.

In Paris, while attempting to locate Jason, John-Boy accidentally hears a woman play a song written by Jason. He introduces himself, finding it is Toni, the ‘crazy WAC that Jason met in Camp Rockfish’. They bet who can first locate Jason.

Sheriff Bridges and John inform Harley about the investigation being conducted. Ep hopes the Deputy will eventually back off. That night, the Walton’s discuss Harley’s situation. At the same time, Verdie prepares to attend a prayer meeting, hoping her husband will join her. But, Harley is troubled about what has happened. He unexpectedly professes his love to his wife. After Verdie and Josh leave, Harley writes a note and packs his bags. Harley arrives at the mill to tell John he is leaving, confessing he really is Leroy Harley but was only protecting himself when the man fell, hit his head, and died. John convinces Harley to stay and fight, hoping to contact the lawyer, Nathan Moore, who originally defended him.

Drew stops by on his bicycle to hear Cindy complain how everybody treats her like she can’t do anything but curl her hair. Drew also wonders if Elizabeth and he are still going steady, after rarely seeing her since her new horse came into her life.

At the Foster’s, the Sheriff tells Verdie he must search their house after she informs Ep that Harley is not home. When Ep leaves empty-handed Verdie tells Josh to run to the Waltons to warn his Daddy. Sheriff Bridges informs John that he has an arrest warrant against Harley. John tells Ep he needs twenty-four hours to prove Harley is innocent. Ep drives off as Harley and Josh watch him from their perch in the tree house.

Part 2

John takes Harley to an old logging camp in order to keep him away from the law. Back home, John learns that the lawyer lives in Petersburg, Virginia. Drew and Elizabeth go fishing where Elizabeth shows Drew how Grandpa taught her to talk with the fish. But Drew confesses he feels he is ‘playing second fiddle’ to Molly. Elizabeth rides off, both mad at each other.

Verdie and John visit the attorney who locates Harley’s file containing transcripts of the trial, appeal, and Navy commendation. Although retired, Moore agrees to research the case in Richmond, Virginia. John and Verdie arrive back just before Ep tells John his time is up. With the Deputy insisting that the Sheriff apprehend Harley, Ep has no choice but to arrest John. In the morning, Mary Ellen brings her father cinnamon rolls during his sentence at the jail. Harley, along with Verdie, soon arrives to give himself up to the authorities.

Erin tells Cindy she has fixed her flat tire. Cindy explodes in anger at everybody for not allowing her to share in all the duties around the house. At the 171st Replacement Depot, Jason is reunited with Toni. He will be able to see her again in Paris, France next Thursday, but today they only have a few minutes together. They kiss, making the most of their short time together.

Nathan Moore tells John that he needs to hire a lawyer who wants to find ‘simple justice’ and is not afraid to defend a black man.

Elizabeth confides in Rose that she believes Drew hates Molly. Rose remembers when her husband, Bert, bought a Model T automobile. She felt left out until Bert included her with all of his automobile activities. Rose advises lovelorn Elizabeth to try the same tactic with Drew.

Ep visits John telling him that the marshals will arrive tomorrow to return Harley to prison. The Sheriff tells John about ‘duty’ and how it has affected his life. John says he will not give up on his friend.

Ike and Corabeth lie in bed with Corabeth reading and Ike reminiscing about the old days - going into the store on a cold day, making up a good fire in the stove, and Corabeth putting a shine on the apples. Ike finds that Corabeth’s book cover Loves Last Heartbeat is really covering up the book How to Make Your Fortune in Real Estate. He realizes his wife would prefer not to be an old-fashion housewife.

Verdie says goodbye to Harley while the police and John wait outside the jail. Harley is then handcuffed and taken away. That night, as John pours over the evidence, he glances at a picture of FDR. With an idea in mind John drives over to Verdie’s. He tells her that he is driving to Warm Springs, Georgia to see the President in order to persuade him that Harley’s war record should warrant another review of his case.

Ike surprises Corabeth with her own real estate sign and desk inside the store. Although he likes his starched shirts, he would rather work along side his wife. As they hug, Ike says, ‘Partners again, and a little bit more.’

John visits Commander Collins at FDR’s headquarters hoping to convince him that a review of an American citizen falsely imprisoned is just as important as the war. John finally convinces the officer.

Elizabeth rides Molly as Erin drives up to the house. Mary Ellen is washing the car when a rooster gets underneath the horse causing Elizabeth and the horse to fall. Elizabeth is unhurt but Molly has broken her leg. None of the women has the heart to kill the horse. Cindy tells Erin to get her the gun. She walks over to the horse and puts the horse out of its misery. Later that night, Elizabeth visits Cindy asking her if she can spend the night with her. They cry in each other arms.

In the morning, Drew stops by to say he is sorry about Molly. He tells Elizabeth that Pepper is now without its mother. Hoping to mend their relationship, Drew has bought Pepper, hoping that together they can raise the fold.

Verdie abruptly arrives to tell the family that it was just announced that FDR has died. Ben and the other men see their chief break down as he remembers his memories of the president. Ben suggests they lower the flag to half-staff. Afterwards, they salute the somber flag. The family talks about the dreadful news and plan to watch the funeral train pass through Charlottesville, Virginia early tomorrow morning. Verdie and Josh talk about the troubling time when John arrives with Harley. John tells them that the last official act of the president was to pardon Harley.

"The train bearing the body of Franklin Delanor Roosevelt moved slowly from Warm Springs Georgia toward the nation's capital. Wherever it went the people who loved him gathered to mark its passing, remembering the man who led a nation out of its most crippling depression and toward victory in its greatest war, planting seeds of brotherhood along the way. When it passed through Charlottesville my family was there to pay their last respects".

John Walton: Goodnight, Mr President.

Notes:

The episode occurs during the closing months of World War II.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945.

Drew is working at the soda fountain in order to make money to buy a car.

Harley received a Navy commendation after saving the lives of two men

The Ladies Home Companion tells Corabeth that healthy hair need one hundred brush strokes every night.

Drew’s old dog was named Doc.

Elizabeth’s new mare is called Molly, and her fold is named Pepper. Molly must be shot when she breaks a leg. Drew buys Pepper so he and Elizabeth can raise the colt together.

Also appearing:

Ike and Corabeth Godsey (Joe Conley and Ronnie Claire Edwards), Cindy Walton (Leslie Winston), John Curtis (Michael and Marshall Reed), Virginia Walton (Claire and Elizabeth Schoene), Rose Burton (Peggy Rea), John-Boy Walton (Robert Wightman), Drew Cutler (Tony Becker), Harley Foster, alias Leroy Harley (Hal Williams), Verdie Foster (Lynn Hamilton), Josh Foster (Jason Moses), Nathan Moore (John McLian), Ep Bridges (John Crawford), Toni Hazelton (Lisa Harrison), Norman (Jordan Suffin), The Deputy (Charles Thomas Murphy), The Aide (Hank Brandt), The Chief (Dick Sargent), The Radio Announcer (Hank Stohl), The Patrolman (David Clover).