Today we are recapping Season 1, Episode 12, “The Award.” This episode has all the elements of a classic Little House on the Prairie episode: intrigue, lying, and keeping secrets, and a strong moral finish.
Skip the intro? Yes please.
Season 1, Episode 12: The Award
The Award first aired December 11, 1974, and judging by the coats, I’d say the Ingalls family was heading into fake California, I mean, Walnut Grove winter, or at least autumn, as well.
Ok. The Award. We open with the Ingalls homestead. A wagon is horsed and ready to go. Narrating Laura tells us that Pa doesn’t go away very often, but when he does, it takes the whole family working together to get him ready. Sounds like Pa likes to travel a little heavy. Also, we’re only on the 12th episode of the first season, and this is at least Pa’s third trip to Mankato, plus he went on that epic 100-mile walk. I think Pa goes away more often than Laura would have us believe.
She goes on to tell us that he’ll be gone for three weeks to Mankato and other places for Mr. Hanson. Mr. Edwards will be joining him to help and keep him company. But Pa says that when it comes to leaving home, it takes a lot of people pushing to get him going. I’m not sure what the point of all that is. I guess to let us know that this week’s plot device is that Pa will be out of the picture and Ma and the girls will fend for themselves.
Laura and Mary wave the men off and yell bye to them. The wagons are so far away, we don’t even know if that’s actually Pa and Mr. Edwards in there or some random extras plot driving the horses.
Late for School
Ma, who’s looking a bit pilgrim-ish today, is telling the girls to hurry so they don’t miss school. It should be noted here that the girls are wearing coats and sunbonnets, but the grass is green, and the trees have green leaves. So I’m confused about the contradiction there. Anyway, Laura is poking along, looking on the ground, and Mary tells her she needs to hurry up. Laura tells her she’s looking for something. Mary asks her what she’s looking for, and Laura tells her she doesn’t know. Mary rightfully calls her out on that. You don’t waste your big sister’s time when she has somewhere to be. As someone with two older sisters, I have experience in this area.
Laura tells Mary that sometimes she doesn’t make sense either, and Mary wants to know when. Apparently it’s because she’s always in such a hurry to get to school. Mary says she likes school. Laura says that’s why Mary doesn’t make sense, but if you ask me, neither does Laura. I mean, I thought Laura loved school, and Miss Beadle was the best teacher ever. Did I miss an episode where Laura was traumatized from loving school anymore? The girls run into the schoolhouse where class is already in session.
In Which Miss Beadle Reveals The Award
Miss Beadle tells the class that each year, an award is given to the student who scores the highest grade in a special examination. This year, the Board has made a generous donation. Instead of just a blue ribbon. the winner will receive a giant, hard-bound copy of Webster’s Dictionary. Mary is spellbound. She is so there.
Hold on. We need to get a picture of Mary coveting this dictionary. The award. THE award. This needs a moment.
Mary remains transfixed as Miss Beadle goes back to teaching.
That night, Laura tucks Carrie into bed in a sunshiny bedroom, while Ma looks over the special examination guidelines. Mary is determined to win the contest. Ma tells Mary that there are a lot of older kids taking the same test and one of them could win. Mary tells her that Pa said she can do anything she wants if she puts her mind to it. Mary says she wants to be a school teacher just like Ma, and she really needs that dictionary. Ma doesn’t seem convinced.
Laura asks Ma if she thinks Mary will win the award. Ma says she thinks Mary will do her best, then asks Laura what she’s working on. Laura has to rewrite all the spelling words she missed 25 times. Harsh, Miss Beadle. Ma helps Laura spell “bough” and says that if Mary wins that dictionary, Laura won’t have to ask for help with her spelling. Coming from a “Look it up!” family myself, I can see the virtues. Laura wonders how to look up a word she can’t spell, and I agree that it presents a challenge.
Mary Borrows a Book
An undisclosed period of time later, we are back at school. Actually, school is letting out, and Miss Beadle is erasing the blackboard. Mary stays behind to tell Miss Beadle she’s having trouble finding some of the things that she needs for the examination. Specifically, American history, before the Revolutionary War. Miss Beadle goes to a cabinet and takes out a big book and lends it to Mary, who promises to take good care of it.
Mary reads as she walks home, which isn’t conducive to speed. Laura, who often finds reasons to not go straight home, tells Mary that she wants to get home to do her chores. Then there’s some MarySplainin’ about how she’s not poking, she’s reading. You’re doing both, Mares. Anyway, Laura forgets she’s in a hurry and stops in her tracks to ask Mary what she’s reading. Mary replies, “history,” which elicits a “yuck!” from Laura. History is all about dead people.
Back at the Little House on the Prairie, Ma is ironing clothes that we’ve never seen before while helping Carrie with her letters. After Laura and Mary enter, Ma asks if they were late because they were kept after school. Laura throws her sister under the bus and says that they were late because Mary was reading about dead people. Mary shows Ma the book Miss Beadle lent her and again promises to take care of it. I still haven’t caught the book’s title.
Laura wants to fish after chores since she has no homework, but it’s MaSplained to her that just because she doesn’t have homework doesn’t mean she can’t do a little extra learning. “When I’m dead,” Cheeky Laura says, “the history books will say I hardly ever got to go fishing.”
Mary Studies for the Award
It’s nighttime, and the girls are in their nightcaps. Laura is trying to sleep while Mary tries to study for the award. Laura isn’t feeling the bright, shiny lantern and loud whispers to Mary to blow it out. Laura can’t sleep with the light on, and Mary can’t read without it. There’s some LauraSplaining about how Mary shouldn’t be reading; she should be sleeping, and Ma needs her rest with all the extra work she’s doing. Oh, that’s right. Pa is away. But Mary is at a real good part of the unnamed book about George Washington. Laura spoiler alerts Mary and says he became the father of the country and tells her to blow out the light. Mary sighs and blows out the lantern to go to bed.
This is the beauty of the Kindle.
Mary can’t sleep and whispers Laura’s name. Ever so quietly, she gets out of bed and puts on her coat and shoes and takes the book. In the barn she lights another lantern and sets a stool in the hay to read. Mary yawns as she reads by lantern. As the lamp dies down, we find Mary asleep in the barn. She rolls over and kicks the lantern, which starts a fire in the hay. Much to the dismay of the horses. Mary grabs the pitchfork, yes THAT pitchfork, and starts moving the hay around, which only makes things worse. She runs to get Ma.
Running out in her nightgown, Ma yells to Mary and Laura to get buckets from the creek as she removes the horse from the barn. They get a bucket brigade going. Ma beats out the last of the fire with a blanket and pours water over that. No damage.
Mary apologizes to Ma, which Ma rightly says isn’t enough. Mary didn’t know what happened. She must have fallen asleep and tipped the lantern over. Ma is all whatever are you doing in the barn in the middle of the night and Mary says she was studying. Ma is incredulous, as she should be. Mary has a whole house to study in, but she has to come to the barn? Crying, Mary says she didn’t want to wake her. Ma is pissed. How many times has she told Mary not to light matches or lanterns in the barn? Mary guesses hundreds.
No Award for Mary
Ma tells Mary that she’ll remember from this night on. And that she can forget the examination.
Which means she can forget the award.
Using her outdoor voice, Ma, who seems to be switching between slippers and commando feet, yelled at Mary that tomorrow she would be marching over to Miss Beadle to tell her she couldn’t take the exam. Laura interjects that she can’t do that, to which Ma yells, “WHY NOT???” Laura tells her it’s Saturday. Frustrated, Ma says she should do it Monday and sends the girls to bed. Laura and Mary put their arms around each other’s shoulders and walk into the house.
I am assuming it’s the next morning. Mary brings in a basket of eggs, and Ma tells her to have a seat. She MaSplains that she was very frightened last night. Horribly frightened. Mary apologizes. Ma goes on to tell her that she was harsh because she was so frightened. Not for nothing, Ma, but your anger is 100% justified, and you don’t need to explain anything to anyone. Mary begs Ma to let her go and clean out the barn. Ma looks like she wants to say something else but lets Mary go.
Ma is letting Mary off too easy, if you ask me. I’d be “and another thinging ” her into next Tuesday if she almost burned down MY barn.
Mary is raking out the barn, with chickens running all around her. As she rakes through the strategically placed black hay, she finds Miss Beadle’s book. Or Miss Beadle’s former book. Which looks perfectly readable but with some hay and bits sticking out of random pages.
Ma Seeks Advice
We are at school. No, we are at church. It must be Reverend Alden’s time of the month because Ma is seeking counsel. What do you know? Monthly Reverend ran into Charles and Mr. Edwards on his way to Walnut Grove, where they were camped together on the side of the road.
. Anyway, Pa sends his love.
Monthly Reverend steers the conversation back to Mary and brings up punishing her by not letting her take a test. Ma laments that she did worse than that. She lost her temper.
Good gravy, Ma. That’s what you’re supposed to do when the eldest sets fire to the barn. Monthly Reverend reminds Ma that there are few people who don’t do or say something they regret and wants to know if Mary apologized. Ma admits that Mary apologized several times, but she was so upset over what could have happened. Why, Mary could have been… The Reverend finishes Ma’s sentence with a smile. Mary could have been killed. But she wasn’t. So that’s one worry behind her. Ma started to tell the Reverend that she was trying to talk to Mary, and the Reverend again speaks for her and asks if she was going to change her mind and let Mary take the exam. Ma admits it’s something like that. I guess she’s flaky like Pa.
The two of them go on to deconstruct Mary volunteering to clean out the barn and that she accepted the responsibility and she’s trying to make amends. Ma asks about the examination, and Monthly Reverend informs her that if she forgets this punishment, her girls will expect her to forget the next one. Seriously. Mary didn’t refuse to clean her room; she almost burned down the barn. It seems to me this is the one time you would need to remember a punishment. “Family discipline is based on promises kept for punishment or reward,” waxes Monthly Reverend. Ma sees the light.
In Which Mary Lands a Job
Mary and Laura are walking through town, and Laura wants Mary to hurry up, or they won’t have any time to play before school. I mean, you can run ahead, Laura. Mary’s not looking like she’s in a company mood and says as much.
Laura plot devices and remembers she didn’t pay Mary back her half a Christmas penny and offers to treat her to licorice to make her feel better, and they head into Oleson’s Mercantile. Laura moneybags and orders a whole penny’s worth of licorice, while Mary stares up at a Help Wanted sign. Even Stevie Wonder can see where this is going. Mary inquires about the sign.
Mr. Oleson, who has two able-bodied children, says he needs someone to keep the place neat and keep an eye on things while he’s in the store room. Nellie can’t help because she’s studying for the exam. I guess Willie is plot device, chopped liver, because his name doesn’t even come up. Mary tells Mr. Oleson that she’s a good worker, and he’s not so sure how her parents will feel about it. Mary agrees to tell Ma. She’ll be working every day after school and all day on Saturday. If Ma says yes, Mary can start tomorrow, and the pay is fifty cents a week. As she walks out, Mary turns and asks how much a Thompson American History is, and he tells her a dollar. Girlfriend is making it rain.
Instead of going to recess, Mary is coveting the dictionary. Miss Beadle says it will be a nice prize for someone. (Just not you, Mary.) Mary starts to say something and changes her mind to go out to play.
On the way home from school, Laura says something about how she guesses it’s none of her business. Mary wants to know what is, and Laura vaguebooks and says, “what I’m thinking about.” Mary bites and asks Laura what she’s thinking about, and Laura says she didn’t do what Ma told her to do. She didn’t tell Miss Beadle that she couldn’t be in the contest for the award. Mary tells Laura that she knows why she didn’t, and Laura admits it’s because she’d have to give back the book. Mary says that she’ll earn the money to buy the book before the award contest. Laura says it’s the day before and gives her a judgey look. Mary says that maybe Ma won’t ask, and Laura thinks that’s a big maybe. “Never cross your bridges before you get to them,” Mary PaSplains. And that’s what she’s going to do. Wait for her bridges.
Back at the Little House on the Prairie, Laura runs in and kisses her Ma and says she’s going to play. Ma reminds her of her chores. After Laura runs out, Mary tells her about the Help Wanted sign at Oleson’s Mercantile, and Ma agrees to let Mary have the job as long as she keeps her marks up. Mary thanks her and runs off to do her chores. Ma giggles because, why? I don’t know.
In Which Mary Works by Not Working
An undisclosed period of time later, Mary is handing Mrs. Foster a box of something, and here you goes her. If this is her first day, Mary seems very well trained. No one is showing her how to do anything. Actually, no one else is around at all. Just Mary and Mrs. Foster. After promising to say hello to Ma, Mary writes something in a ledger. As Nellie walks in, Mary tidies up some bolts of fabric. “Working Hard?” Nellie asks. Mary replies that she’s doing just fine. Nellie tells her that she should look nicer if she’s working in the store and that Ma should let her wear her Sunday dress. Mary tells her that her Sunday dress is for church. Nellie tells her she doesn’t get paid to go to church, and Mary zings back that she doesn’t worship at Oleson’s mercantile. Snaps for Mary.
Miss Beadle walks in, and the girls say hello. She asks Mary if she works there, and as Mary yes ma’ams her, Nellie talks over her and says she can’t work until after the exam. Her mother wants her to study. Miss Beadle thinks that’s fine. Miss Beadle asks Mary for a pound of white sugar. As Mary measures out the sugar, Nellie informs her that they have every reference book she listed for the award right there in the store and she’s going to read every one of them. Mary looks like she wants to cut a biatch. Miss Beadle tells Nellie she’s a very lucky girl and she wishes all her students had the same opportunity. “All they have to do is buy the books,” said tone deaf Nellie. Miss Beadle tells her she better get started.
Miss Beadle asks Mary how her studying is coming along, and Mary lies and tells her it’s good. Miss Beadle thinks she’s taking on a lot, but Mary says she can manage. Miss Beadle asks her how she finds time to study, and Mary says that the sugar is four cents.
Digression: I actually remember this scene from my childhood because my mother was incredulous and went on a bit about how she wished she could have sugar that cost four cents a pound.
Miss Beadle wants to know the answer to her questions because Mary has a good chance. Mary lies and says she has all the time in the world and can read the books in the store any time she wants. After Miss Beadle leaves, Mary pulls out one of the books and begins reading. I’m sure Harriet would be thrilled to come down to that.
Wait? Where IS Harriet? I would think she would handle the store before she’d pay an outsider.
Mary Continues to Study For the Award She’s Not Supposed to Have
After the commercial, Mary and Laura have their nightcaps on again, and Mary is telling Laura about how she couldn’t tell Miss Beadle about the contest. Miss Beadle thinks she has a good chance to win. Laura reminds Mary that Ma said she couldn’t take it. Mary said she’s sure if she takes it she can win the award, and then Ma would be so proud she won’t be angry. Laura isn’t so sure. Mary says there’s nothing she can do. Laura smartly asks what would happen if she doesn’t win the award and Ma finds out. Mary says she just has to win.
An undisclosed period of time later, Mary walks into Oleson’s Mercantile and goes straight back to the books to study. Like, is she doing any work at all? I honestly don’t understand why she’s there. While Mary has a leisurely study at the expense of the Olesons, Laura is shown doing all the chores. Back in bed, nightcaps on, Mary is studying and yawns her way through school the next day. She’s also reading on the way home from work.
Mary’s time is up at Oleson’s Mercantile. Mr. Oleson gives her $1.50 and thanks her for a job well done. Mary uses her money to buy the Thompsons’ history book and heads home.
Exam Tomorrow!
At the end of the next school day, Miss Beadle writes “Exam Tomorrow” on the blackboard and tells the kids who are not taking the test that they can spend an extra hour at recess tomorrow while the exam is going on. Everyone files out but Mary and Laura. Laura wants Mary to hurry up, but Mary wants to talk to Miss Beadle. Miss Beadle approaches and says, “Well, Mary. Tomorrow’s the big day.” Mary yes ma’ams her and returns the book. Miss Beadle says she hopes it was of some use, and Mary says that it was. Mary, head down, shows no sign of leaving, and Miss Beadle wants to know if she’s been working too hard getting ready for the test. Mary no ma’ams her. Miss Beadle tells Mary that she thinks she has and that she’s nervous and upset about it.
Miss Beadle asks Mary if her tummy hurts, and Mary says this is different. Miss Beadle tells her that, of course, it’s different. It’s different with everyone. Why, Miss Beadle was so nervous she used to throw up. TMI, Miss Beadle. Miss Beadle tells Mary to scoot on home and forget about the test until tomorrow. Mary yesses her again and leaves the room.
At home, Ma finds fifty cents on the table and wants to know why Mary was only paid fiddy for three weeks’ work. Mary lies, telling her she didn’t have to work that hard. I’m beginning to think the Ingalls family is made up of the lyingest liars who ever lied. Every single episode is lying and keeping secrets. Mary said she learned a lot. When Ma mentions that it was a lot of hours, Mary said she didn’t mind. It was fun. Ma doesn’t look pleased at the thought of her daughter being taken advantage of.
How hard is it to just say, “Ma, Miss Beadle’s book burned up in the fire, and I bought her a new one with the money I earned.” Mary’s already been punished, and is Ma really going to disagree with Mary working to replace Miss Beadle’s book?
Ma Learns About the Book
It’s nighttime and the nightcaps are on again. Mary is alternating between studying and looking guilty.
The next day Ma is bringing her eggs to Oleson’s Mercantile. Uh-oh. We know where this is going. Mr. Oleson says he’s going to miss that daughter of hers, and Ma guesses so since it must be hard to find someone who will work for fifty cents for three weeks. Mr. Oleson corrects and says it was fifty cents a week, and it was a bargain because Mary is quite a worker. I wonder if he’d say that if he knew she was reading the whole time she was supposed to be working. Mr. Oleson tells Ma that she must be very proud of Mary because there aren’t a whole lot of children who would spend their own money buying a history book.
Ma shops for thread, vanilla beans, and something else that I forgot.
It’s Time For the Exam!
Miss Beadle is holding her big – ass dictionary and tells the class that it’s finally time for the exam and they are going to find out who wins the award, and sends all the kids who are not taking the test out for a long recess. Mary makes no move to go outside, and when Laura asks if she’s coming, she slowly shakes her head. Laura passes her one last judgey look and goes outside.
Miss Beadle hands out the tests and tells everyone they need to leave their papers facedown until she returns to her desk.
Ma exits Oleson’s Mercantile and sees kids playing outside, but no Mary. Laura is sitting on the steps, not playing. Ma asks where Mary is, and Laura tells her she’s inside. Ma walks up the stairs. “Ma?” Laura asks, and Ma says, “Never mind.”
Ma goes inside, sees Mary sitting at the desk with the test paper in front of her, and walks out of the school with her mad face on.
After the Exam
The school bell is ringing, and the exam is over. The kids file back inside. Miss Beadle says that the tests have all been graded and she’s going to announce the winner. But she wants them all to know that she’s proud of each and every one of them. She looks directly at Mary, who looks very upset and has her head down. Since there can only be one winner, it’s Arnold Lundstrom, who we never heard of before today and will never hear of again. Arnold is now the proud owner of a new Webster’s Dictionary. Mary looks about to cry.
Miss Beadle asks Laura to please stay after school so she can speak with her.
Back at the Little House on the Prairie, Jack barks to announce that they have visitors. It’s Miss Beadle bringing Laura home. Ma wants to know where Mary is, and Miss Beadle thought she was already along. She told Ma she wanted to show her something and handed her Mary’s exam. Miss Beadle teachersplains that it’s not the kind of exam parents would enjoy, but she wanted Ma to see.
Mary wrote Miss Beadle a note saying she wasn’t going to take the examination and why. Ma thanks Miss Beadle for bringing that note back to her. Ma asks Laura to take in the bucket of water she’s holding and asks her to watch Carrie, so she can go find Mary.
Mary is sitting under a tree on the all-purpose hill, when Ma finds her. Mary stands when she sees her Ma. Ma’s sunbonnet flaps in the breeze as she runs down the hill and gives Mary a big hug. Mary cries and says she lied to her Ma, and Ma told her she made a lot of mistakes too and she shouldn’t have been so harsh with her.
I’m going to pause right here and say that Ma should have been that harsh with her and shouldn’t have apologized for it.
They hug and apologize and go home. All is right with the world.
