Original subtitles

When I was growing up on Walton's Mountain...

the word "honor" was hardly ever used.

But its meaning was well understood.

Honorable behavior was something that was expected...

in my family.

Therefore, I found it strange.

When like every other freshman in school...

I was told that honor was a tradition...

and that the heart of it was to be found in a system...

that governed our lives as students.

And one that, if ignored...

could end our days as members of the student body.

"On my honor, I have neither given...

nor received aid on this examination"...

will be sole witness as to the integrity of your work.

So, until Friday morning, class dismissed.

I will see Mr. Walton and Mr. Povich, please.

John, if you and Tom Povich don't know eachother...

you're about to.

-We've met. -Yes, sir.

You know that at Boatwright...

we accord scholastic and athletic scholarships...

as equal educational privileges.

I have never lost a scholarship student of either sort yet.

Mr. Povich knows I am worried about his passing this course.

The results of Friday's exam are very important.

Tomorrow is Founder's Day. There will be no scheduled classes.

I would appreciate it, John, if you would spend it...

helping another scholarship student...

who is in danger of failing.

-Of course. -Thank you.

-I'm done with classes at 2:00. -I have practice.

I'm sorry, I hate to mess up your holiday like this.

Oh, no, it's okay, don't worry about it.

I'll come to the field this afternoon and we can...

talk about what we'll to do tomorrow.

-Okay. Thank you. -Alright.

-I really do appreciate it. -It's alright, believe me.

Hut-one, hut-two, hut-three.

Okay, let's go again. Quickly, line it up.

Let's go.

On three, now.

Hut-one, hut-two, hut-three.

Alright, let's go. Line up.

If you can't handle a freshman like him...

what do you expect from those Washington...

and Lee boys, Saturday?

Now let's hit it.

On three.

Hut-one, hut-two, hut-three.

That's the way to go. That's the way to go!

Now, do it that way Saturday...

I double-guarantee you we'll come in winners.

Take your lap.

Povich, you alright?

You did good today, Povich.

You made these boys work their tails off, for a change.

Take your lap.

Hi.

Is it like that for you out there every day?

-Kind of. -I don't know how you do it.

-Some days I don't either. -You stay at the dorm, right?

Well, why don't you come home with me?

Stay at my house tonight and we can study all day tomorrow.

Won't your folks mind...

your bringing someone home just like that?

No, don't worry about it. Come on, we'll get your things.

Now look what you've gone and made me do.

Since when did a little old nip on the neck get you upset?

Well, it's not decent in broad daylight.

I don't know what possessed me.

Something must've just come over me.

The mere sight of you moved me to madness.

Oh, you old fool. Go catch that chicken you made me lose? Go on.

I don't know.

That particular chicken can outrun this old rooster.

Well, it can't outrun me. That's our supper for tonight.

Catch it, come on.

You're running all the skin off its bones.

Let the old girl have its freedom.

You feisty ball of feathers...

I'll get you as soon as I get my breath.

Grandma, why are you talking to the chicken?

She's trying to entice the chicken to within her grasp.

Now, you children, you go catch that chicken for me.

-Hey! -Hi, John-Boy.

Hey.

Hey, everyone. This is Tom Povich.

These are my brothers and sisters.

-Tom. -Hi.

If anybody wants chicken and dumplings for supper...

somebody better catch me a chicken.

An eating chicken, not one of my laying hens.

-Well, go on! -Alright.

Grandma, this is Tom Povich. Tom, this is my grandma.

-Hi. -Pleased to meet you.

-Did I do something wrong? -You caught her at a bad time.

-Welcome to Walton's Mountain. -Thank you. Thank you.

Grandpa here.

So, she having a hard time catching that chicken?

-One, two, three, hike! -Okay.

-Good. -Good.

You throw that good and you only play guard?

-Well, somebody's got to block. -That's true.

Now take it back behind your ear this way.

Okay? Okay, Jim-Bob, Jason.

-Ready? -Yeah.

Ready, set, hike!

I think you can lead him a little more. He's fast enough.

Yeah.

Alright, Mary Ellen, you send it to Jim-Bob.

Jim-Bob, when you get the ball, you run this way.

I'll be here. Daddy, you block.

I'll tell you one thing.

If Jason thought it up it's the world's most confusing play. Ha!

-You wait! -You!

Okay, hut-one...

hut-two, hut-three, hike!

I see it. I see it. I see it.

Daddy.

-Bob! -Go, Jim-Bob.

Touchdown! Yeah!

Stick with me! Stick with me!

10-66, 18-12, 19-35, hike!

Grandpa!

-No! -Come on!

Daddy!

Go, Mary Ellen!

No!

Yeah!

Good going, Mary Ellen. Good play, honey.

Oh, that's enough for me.

I am whipped, whipped, whipped.

If the coach had seen that

he'd have helped me fail my history test.

-Promise you won't tell. -I swear.

You were swayed by a pretty face.

You know, that happened to me one time.

Hat's off to you, Mary Ellen, that was a nice touchdown.

Thank you.

She's the biggest tomboy in the State of Virginia.

Oh, Ben, stop being so childish.

Well, you are. Isn't she?

She used to be, anyway.

It's gotta be near feeding time.

I sure hope so. I could eat a cow.

I'm not arguing.

Oh, shut up.

Grantland Rice wrote about him in Collier's magazine.

He thinks that Jay Berwanger of Chicago University...

is the best runner in football.

Best I ever saw in person was Clarke Hinkle of Bucknell.

He's professional now.

Pass the milk, please.

Esther, while this young man is eating with us...

I suggest you go out and buy another cow.

Chicken and dumplings are real good, too.

They're Grandma's specialty.

I heard that some professionals get paid $100 a game.

You mean that grown men get paid just to play football?

Well, I get to go to school free because I play.

If you're a good player, why do you go to school at all?

I don't want to be a player.

I don't understand.

You go to college free because you're a good football player...

but you don't want to be one?

Grandma, it's a scholarship, just like mine.

He gets his books and tuition free.

If you played football, you'd get a scholarship for that?

Sure, but can you see me playing football?

No. You have to be very good at it.

How much time do you put in practicing?

About four hours a day.

Must be pretty tough to study at night after all that.

Yeah, it sure is.

And I have to keep up a C average, otherwise....

You don't sound like you're from this part of the country.

No. No, I'm from a small coal town near Pittsburgh.

-Aliquippa. -Where's that?

In Pennsylvania. It's far away from here.

-Do you have a sawmill? -No.

No, my papa works in the mines.

-Do you live in a house? -Sure.

Only we don't own it. Or the land either.

-You folks do, don't you? -Yes, we do.

-You live in a company house? -Right.

What's that?

Oh, it's like that soapstone quarry up the mountain.

The workers live in the houses that the company owns.

You understand that all these questions...

are just preparatory to Dr. Emory's examination?

I only wish his were gonna be this easy.

Well, it's time we hit the books. I'll see you all later.

Well, it was sure a fine supper, and I thank you.

You're more than welcome.

You sure that you had enough to eat?

What's for breakfast?

Esther?

Thank you. Excuse me.

-He's a great eater. -Pass the milk.

I got to have a pencil. I can't think without a pencil.

-There you go. -Thank you.

And I cannot see without my glasses.

-Where are they? -They're being repaired.

I'm sorry. Oh, boy, I am beat.

I got this job...

coaling furnaces in a couple of fraternity houses every morning.

5:30.

-Is it part of your scholarship? -No.

No, but I can't take any money from my parents...

and that was the only job I could get.

Look, why don't we just stop studying now...

and get some sleep and we can cram all day tomorrow, okay?

Okay.

So, somebody told me you were a writer.

Well, I'm in the school of journalism.

If I can't make it as a writer, I guess I could be a teacher.

I'm planning on law school.

Well, I'm planning on getting to New York City somehow.

Maybe I'll see you there.

That's a good town for lawyers. A lot of opportunity that way.

No, I don't think so. I want to go back to my hometown.

Well, can you support yourself as a lawyer in your hometown?

Oh, yeah, I think I'll have more work than I could handle.

I want to help the miners.

Only trouble is, if my grades don't start getting better...

I won't be working for them, I'll be one of them.

You're really worried about flunking out, aren't you?

Yeah.

I should have talked to Dr. Emory sooner...

but I was ashamed to admit I couldn't do the work.

Well, I'm not your coach.

I can't give you any double guarantees.

But you can pass this course.

And you can certainly pass this test on Friday.

Right now, that's all we've got to worry about.

Well, I'll be ready to study first thing in the morning.

Okay, good.

-Hey, John. -Yeah?

I gotta pass.

Then you will. I got to go downstairs for a while.

I'll see you later. Sleep well.

-Thanks. Goodnight. -Goodnight.

Jason?

-What are you doing there? -Ben's in there.

Well, what's wrong with Ben being in there?

I don't know, I can't see.

-Ben! -Yeah?

Are you alright?

Can't anyone have any privacy in this house?

I know you're there, Jason.

Alright, I'm here.

Every time I turn around lately, you've been spying on me.

What's the matter with you lately, anyway?

Nothing's the matter with me.

What's the matter with you, turning into a spy?

-Ben, what's bothering you? -You.

Why don't you just leave me alone?

Ben, Jason.

You two boys playing hooky from school again?

No, we were just leaving, Grandpa.

Oh, that's too bad.

Because if you was playing hooky to go fishing...

I'd kind of liked to have gone along with you.

Ben, why are you going to school that way?

I'm going the long way around, there's plenty of time.

Grandpa, have you noticed Ben lately?

Ben is the kind of fellow that's pretty hard not to notice.

Does he seem strange to you?

All boys that age act kind of strange.

It's a phase they go through with.

You are going through one of them phases right now.

-How's that, Grandpa? -Called the phase of...

"being late for school again if you don't get a leg on."

-Bye, Grandpa. -You go the regular way and....

Summa Theologica was written by Thomas Aquinas...

as a survey of all knowledge.

Well, we're gonna have to understand

the effects of Charlemagne's rule.

Whether what he did was good or bad, and why.

Well, under his rule, for the first time...

Europe was all together.

Charlemagne....

Charlemagne...

started a whole new system of commerce and trade.

People used silver coins for money.

Right.

If all this was so wonderful, how come it didn't last?

-The Barbarians, right? -You're doing just fine.

Thanks.

It's all starting to run together in my head, though.

Why don't we just have some lunch

and forget all about it for a while, okay?

Okay.

"In the period of four centuries, 900 BC to 500 BC...

"the Greek Civilization developed...."

You know something?

I think I'm gonna pass this test.

-Ben? -Yeah, Grandma?

-What's the matter, boy? -Nothing, Grandma.

Well, you can't just be doing nothing.

-You gotta be doing something. -I was thinking.

Well, you just go on outside

and do your thinking in the sunshine.

-Go on. -Sure, Grandma.

Thanks.

You got nothing to worry about. Just take it easy.

According to the rules of the honor system...

I will not return to this room until 90 minutes from now.

Please remember...

if any of you believe a fellow classmate

is looking at another's test paper...

and copying from it...

you are obliged to turn that student in to the Honor Council.

Your failure to do so...

will result in your being considered...

just as guilty as he may be...

should you both be caught.

All examinations, upon completion...

are to be signed with your pledge and your signature.

You may begin.

Can I see you?

I don't wanna talk to you.

Tom, what did you have to do that for?

You knew the answer to every question on that test.

Are you going to the Honor Council?

I think I'd rather die.

I think it's what you have to do.

I don't understand you at all.

You cheat and then you tell me to turn you in.

-Townsend saw you. -What?

He looked over at you just when you looked at me.

Great!

Wasn't anyone watching his own paper, like you're supposed to?

Look, I did something stupid...

There's no need for both of us to pay for it.

We're both gonna pay for it, 'cause that's the system.

-Why did you do that? -I got scared.

Well, maybe Townsend won't say anything about it.

We can't take that chance.

What if you lose your scholarship?

Well, I don't know...

but being in school means as much to you as it does to me.

So let's go and get it over with, huh?

Okay.

I make this statement according to the rules ...

of the honor system, respectfully.

Thank you, Mr. Walton. You may sit.

Mr. Townsend, I'd like to hear from you.

It was about 11:20.

I looked up and I observed Mr. Povich.

He was copying from the paper to his left.

Mr. Walton was watching him at the same moment...

as he just told you.

-Have you anything else to add? -No, sir.

You may take your seat.

Boy, am I glad you're here.

I'd have hated to turn you in, too.

Mr. Povich...

here at Boatwright we govern ourselves under a system...

which equates the honor of the group with the honor...

of the individual.

You're here because they have charged you with cheating...

which is a major offense of that system.

If you're guilty, it is our duty to expel you from school.

You are entitled to a defense of the charge.

You may be represented by legal counsel if you so wish.

I'm guilty.

And the pledge I signed was a lie.

Mr. Povich, if there is even the slightest doubt...

-as to your guilt-- -I told you, I'm guilty.

Mr. Povich, you have not been excused.

Excuse me.

Sir.

I would....

I would like to be able to speak for Mr. Povich at this hearing.

But, Mr. Walton, only a few moments ago you acknowledged--

I reported Mr. Povich because I'm obliged to do so...

under the rules of the honor system.

That doesn't mean I want to see him get....

That doesn't mean that I would like him to get dismissed.

You say he is entitled to counsel.

If he agrees, I think it's only appropriate...

that I be the one to defend him.

This council never stands in the way of a student...

who wishes to defend another student.

Mr. Povich's plea of guilty will stand.

As of today, he is on suspension.

His hearing will determine whether or not...

he is to be expelled permanently from the university.

If you have no classes Monday afternoon...

we will hear your defense at...

-2:00. -...2:00 p.m.

I have no classes.

Mr. Townsend, your testimony is on record.

You'll be called if necessary. You may be excused.

Mr. Povich...

it will be necessary to notify your family...

of the events as they have occurred.

Why do they have to know?

It is a rule of this council...

that any time a matter of this nature arises...

all parties involved be kept advised of the proceedings.

-Please, I-- -Mr. Povich, I'm sorry.

We must follow the rules.

If there are no further questions....

We meet again Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. for your hearing.

We got a lot of talking to do between now and Monday.

What's the use?

What's your defense gonna be?

"Gentlemen...

"my friend here is a football player...

"so please forgive him.

"He's got knocked in the head so many times...

he can't tell right from wrong."

Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself.

-Tom. -What is it?

If you don't feel like staying at the dorm during all this...

and I really can't blame you...

please feel free to come back to our place.

I think I'd like to take you up on that.

Okay.

You gonna tell your parents about what happened?

No, not if you don't want me to.

I think I'd like to tell them myself.

Okay.

Hi, Jason.

I take it you wouldn't have dared come here to the garden...

unless there's something on your mind troubling you?

Grandpa.

What would you do...

if you saw somebody doing something, they shouldn't be.

I take it you seen somebody doing something wrong...

you don't think they had ought to be doing?

Yes, sir, I have.

Well, how serious a crime is it that they've committed?

You couldn't actually call it a crime.

What is it?

It's Ben, Grandpa. He's smoking cigarettes.

Ben?

Well, you told your daddy about it?

Well, see, I know Ben is gonna get caught sooner or later...

and I remember what daddy made me do when he caught me smoking.

What was that?

He made me eat a whole cigarette.

Made you stop making a chimney out of the top of your head?

Sure did.

It's pretty drastic.

I can think of something better than that.

You run along now and I'll let you know when I do.

Thank you, Jason.

It's okay.

And If you feel you don't wanna tell my family that's okay, too.

No.

I'd feel like I'd be lying every minute I stayed here.

...and I just didn't trust myself...

so I looked at the paper the fellow next to me was writing...

and John saw me.

And you told? What kind of friend are you?

Oh, he didn't want to. He had to, Mary Ellen.

According to the Boatwright rules...

seeing it happen and not reporting it...

would have made him just as guilty as me.

No one would have known if you hadn't said anything.

Mary Ellen, that's not the point.

It would have been like lying.

If someone else saw, John-Boy would have gotten in trouble.

Someone else did.

Both of us would be out of school

if John hadn't have spoken up.

I still don't think you had to do it.

There's no sense in talking about who should have done what.

Important thing is, what's gonna happen now?

I get to have a hearing.

You mean like a regular court trial?

Yes, ma'am. And John is going to defend me.

You think he can do any good?

Well, I hope so.

-Can they put you in jail? -No.

Why don't you have your folks come over?

No.

Well, I mean, I'm sorry they even had to know about it.

They can't afford to come here I'd just as soon they didn't.

If you'd like, I can come on over and talk for you.

Tell them about the practicing you're doing and the studying.

-Thank you, Mr. Walton. -Welcome.

Best thing this family could do is get on with their business.

-Come on, boys. -Good idea. Boys?

For once your Grandpa is right. Come on.

You know....

You know, it's a good thing that this happened

Are you crazy?

I think I've got our line of defense worked out.

It's the system that's at fault.

I shouldn't be responsible for your conduct.

Your honor is a personal thing.

-Now hold on. -Daddy, just wait a minute.

I may be my brother's keeper but I'm not his watchdog.

Why can't the professors stay in the rooms during the exams?

If they want to catch cheaters, let them do it.

Don't set friends against each other.

The system is wrong. That is the line of defense we have to use.

I think, if you take that line...

we're both gonna be out on our ears.

Can I say something?

I think you're going off halfcocked.

Don't you agree with me?

It's not the point, whether I agree with you or not.

I think what's upsetting you is you had to turn in your friend.

Now, I may not like that any more than you...

but don't listen to Mary Ellen. Don't put yourself on trial...

and don't put the system on trial.

Point is that Tom's on trial, unless you work up a defense...

he's going to be thrown out of school.

I just don't know where to begin.

Attaboy, Jason.

Grandpa?

-You know what I said about Ben? -Yeah.

I think we ought to forget all about it for now.

There's been enough commotion around here as it is.

No need for any commotion, Jason.

Ben is indulging in an expensive and nasty habit...

and I intend to nip it in the bud.

Let me try.

Ben!

Yeah, Grandpa?

Oh, there you are.

Ben, I'm going fishing. Won't you come along?

Sure, Grandpa.

Fish don't seem to be biting too good today.

Yeah.

Oh, let's just relax...

and let them make up their minds.

Grandpa! You? Smoking?

Lot of things you don't know about me, young man.

Come on, have one.

-No, no, thank you. -Go ahead.

When a young man gets to be your age he smokes on the side...

just to see what it feels like. Generally on corn silk.

-Go ahead, have one. -No, really, I can't.

I insist.

There you are. Just try one.

Sit back and enjoy it.

- Are you enjoying yourself? - It's alright.

Can you inhale?

-Sure. -Inhale.

Deeper, deeper.

-Can you blow a smoke ring? -I think I can.

Try it.

Oh, that's no good at all. Go ahead, try another, come on.

Can I put it out now, Grandpa?

I think you ought to practice blowing smoke rings some more.

-Not right now, Grandpa. -No time like the present.

Get your technique down pat.

-Come ahead. -Well, this one's finished.

Well, come on, have another.

Go ahead, have another here.

Grandpa!

Go ahead. Smoking is like anything else in this world.

In order to do a thing, you got to learn how to do it right.

Go ahead, inhale.

I want you to go practice blowing some smoke rings.

Inhale deep.

In order to do so, you have to make a perfect round "O."

Go ahead, inhale.

Grandpa, did someone tell on me?

What do you mean?

Well, Jason's been snooping around me all week.

Did he see me smoking and tell?

I cannot tell a lie, Ben. Yes, he was worried about you.

Why?

He didn't want the same thing...

to happen to you that happened to him.

-Like when daddy caught him? -That's right.

Go ahead.

I think I've had enough, Grandpa.

-For how long, Ben? -Maybe forever.

Grandpa, did your pa want you to stop smoking?

-Yes, indeed he did. -But you smoked anyway?

Not after he did to me what I have just done to you.

I haven't smoked. At least, not until today.

Excuse me, Grandpa.

What's the matter, Ben? Aren't you feeling good?

Matter of fact, I don't feel any too good myself.

Come along, Ben. Hurry along, Willy.

Hey, Tom.

Caught you a nice mess of fish for your supper.

They look real good.

Hey, you okay, Ben? You look a little funny.

Excuse me.

What's wrong with him?

Well, we both been having a battle...

between our stomach and our conscience.

I hope it's settled by supper.

-Tom? -Yeah.

-Tom, I think I've got it. -What?

According to this catalog, there are provisions...

in the honor code.

Offenses can be considered either major or minor...

and you can't get kicked out of school for a minor offense.

Well, what do you suppose a minor offense is?

Well, it doesn't say here, but we've got till Monday...

to come up with one.

Tom. Good luck.

-We'll be thinking of you. -I'll say a prayer.

I'd offer you one, too. Might do you more harm than good.

We'd better get going.

We'll be back as soon as we can.

Bye!

Well, here we go.

-I feel kind of sick. -Me, too.

It's okay. All we can do is give it a try.

Thank you.

Howdy. Can I help you?

I'm looking for my son.

You know a boy, Tom Povich?

Tom? Well, sure I do.

My name is Walton. John Walton.

Is my son here

Well, no, he's not. How did you know he was staying here?

I got a letter.

And when I came to Westham, they told me at his dormitory...

that he went to John Walton's house.

He's with my son right now. He's over at the university.

Tom has a hearing today.

Is there a bus to the school?

I'm afraid not. Last one left for town.

Tell you what, why don't I drive you over to the university?

I'd appreciate that.

You wait right here. I'll get my jacket, we'll be off.

I'm not going to deny that Tom Povich is guilty.

What I would like to ask is that his punishment be reduced...

from a major offense of the honor code to a minor one.

Mr. Walton, cheating has never been regarded...

as a minor violation.

Yes, sir, I'm aware of that.

But there's nothing in the rules to indicate that...

under extenuating circumstances, it couldn't become one.

Don't look so worried, Mr. Povich.

My son feels confident he can work things out...

so Tom can stay in school.

-No. -He might.

He's a persuasive talker when he gets going.

Tom don't belong there. He never did.

You saying you don't want your son to stay in school?

I came here to take him home, where he belongs.

Tom wants something different for himself.

-Don't you want that for him? -No.

I seen what happens when someone wants more.

My neighbors...

their boy, Howard Eckart, he went away to a college.

He comes home now all dressed up, once a year, maybe.

He don't even stay over.

He talks fancy, he acts fancy...

he thinks he's better than everybody...

him and his fancy wife.

He acts ashamed of his father.

Tom couldn't be that way. Nothing could make him that way.

Howard Eckart's father thought that about his son, too.

Did you know that one-third of the freshman football players...

on scholarship flunk out each year?

I suggest to you that there is a direct correlation...

between your statement and Mr. Povich's action.

Do you know what is required of a freshman...

on an athletic scholarship?

Now, what bearing can this have...

when it has already been determined...

that Mr. Povich did indeed cheat on his exam...

and betray our honor code?

I think it does have a bearing.

Tom has to practice on that football field over 4 hour...

five afternoons a week.

He also has to earn money to stay alive.

His scholarship only pays for books and tuition.

As I understand it, that's all your scholarship provides for.

But I live in the area.

I have meals at home, I have a roof over my head.

Mr. Povich has a place at the dorm.

Even then I have to work part-time...

to stay here and not be a burden on my family. So does Tom.

He has a job coaling furnaces at the fraternity houses...

which starts at 5:30 a.m.

So your argument is that Mr. Povich is overworked...

that he has no time to study...

and that he should be allowed to cheat and get away with it?

No, sir.

But there is something else.

Tom can lose his scholarship if he fails to keep a C average.

So would you.

But he can also lose his standing if he gets hurt...

and can't play on the football field.

What good is Mr. Povich to the team if he can't play?

That's exactly my point.

He's getting pressured from both sides...

scholastically and athletically. That doesn't seem fair to me.

Everybody thinks that athletes go through college...

for a free ride, you know.

Play football, take it easy, have a good time...

that they're not interested in studying.

That's not always true.

And it's certainly not true of Tom Povich.

Tom was born in Bridgetown, Pennsylvania.

That town's alive because it has a couple of working coal mines.

Tom's father is a coal miner.

Tom's father went into the mines at 11 years old.

Tom's mother does housework in a nearby town.

And no member of Tom's family has ever gone in school...

past the sixth grade except for Tom.

Tom Povich wants to be a lawyer.

There are no lawyers in Bridgetown, Pennsylvania.

There are only miners and mine owners.

So if you grow up in Bridgetown, Pennsylvania...

and you want something more, you have to leave...

and not come back.

But Tom doesn't want that.

His dream is to go back to Bridgetown...

with his training as a lawyer...

and give the people something they've never had before.

Someone who can speak for them...

because he's one of them.

Is that your case?

Yes, it is.

I think Tom should tell you what happened in the classroom.

Go ahead, Mr. Povich.

It was on the final question.

I had written my answer and I was just reading it over.

Lorenzo Valla, 1407 to 1457...

Italian humanist who started the science of textual criticism.

And suddenly, I was sure that I had the dates wrong.

So I looked over to the fellow's paper on my left.

And he had down the same dates I did.

But even if he hadn't, I still wouldn't have changed mine.

And I swear that's true.

If you look at my exam book...

you'll see that I didn't change anything.

There are no erasures.

That is what you would wish us to believe.

Yes, sir.

That is the truth.

Excuse me.

-Yes, sir? -This boy is my son.

If he tells you that's the truth, believe him.

He don't lie.

But there is something else that I would like to say as well.

The idea of turning my friend in was very painful to me...

and I wasn't even sure that I could do it.

It was Tom Povich that made me do it.

And it was Tom who refused to allow me to jeopardize...

my own scholarship...

and who insisted that we come here to you together.

Now, this is an Honor Council, and I hope from all of this...

you'll be able to see that Tom Povich is an honorable man.

And please...

don't just let a momentary lapse in judgment destroy...

what I think is an honorable dream.

-You should be proud Son. -Thank you.

Papa, I'm glad you're here, no matter what happens.

I came here to take you home.

But I was wrong. This is where you should be.

You may come in now. The council has reached its verdict.

The Honor Council of Boatwright University...

by a unanimous vote...

finds Thomas Povich guilty of both cheating on his exam...

and lying when he signed his pledge.

A second vote was taken on Mr. Walton's motion...

to reduce punishment to a minor offense.

Subject to approval of the Dean...

the council, by a majority vote...

has agreed to reduce your conviction to a minor offense.

However...

should there be a second offense...

it would mean your immediate dismissal from the college.

I will ask, if you are willing...

to give us your word of honor here and now.

Your word of honor as a gentleman, Mr. Povich.

I give my word.

As mandatory in the conviction of a minor offense...

you are hereby suspended from classes and from this campus...

for a period of one week.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anybody want some more lemonade?

Right here, Esther. I'd like another swig or two...

because I want to propose a toast to Tom Povich...

and his future career at Boatwright University.

-Hear, hear. -Hear, hear.

And I say to John Walton Jr...

I hope I get to be as good a lawyer as he is already.

Well, I better go now or I'll miss my bus.

-I'll drive you to the station. -I thank you for everything.

-I'd like to drive my father. -Oh, sure, I understand.

-Can I borrow your car? -Of course. Mr. Povich.

-Thank you. -My pleasure.

-Papa, come on. -Bye-bye. See you soon, Tom.

Goodbye.

I'll be back soon.

-So long. -Bye!

The experience with Tom Povich was one of many...

I was to encounter...

as my horizons widened beyond Walton's Mountain.

They were to expand my own vision...

and increase my understanding of what I had been taught...

from the time I had been a child.

And while I was a college man and my horizons were expanding.

It was still a comfort and a strength...

to return each night to that house...

and to go to sleep to the sound...

of those voices whispering goodnight.

Night, Elizabeth.

Goodnight, Jim-Bob. Goodnight, Ben.

Goodnight, Ben!

He's in the bathroom.

You reckon he's smoking his cigarettes in there?

-I don't think so. -How can you tell?

'Cause he's got his tobacco sack hidden out in the barn.

John!

Go to sleep, Li