Original subtitles

THE OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks.

I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another interesting true story for you

about the historic Death Valley country.

On a December day in 1846,

a covered wagon train creaked slowly

into the Santa Clara Valley

and halt near the Guadalupe River.

The long overland journey is over.

Dr. Isabel and his party have reached California safely.

A California in which gold has not yet been discovered.

A California still under the flag of Mexico.

Now, these settlers have brought with them

their wives, their children, and their household goods.

With them also, though nobody realized it,

they had brought...

This was to have been their last encampment

before going their various ways.

But Dr. Isabel has news that changes all that.

This trouble between the United States and Mexico

is far more serious than reports have lead us to believe.

Serious enough to make every able-bodied man in this party

feel that he should volunteer at once.

You mean go fight?

But what'’s gonna happen to us?

Women and children will stay right here.

Alone?It'’s the safest place we can leave you.

That'’s all very well for you to say, Mr. McPherson.

You'’re not a married man.

[ children chattering ]

Can I help you, Mrs. Isabel?

Oh, thank you, Vicki.

I'’m just making sure my husband'’s buttons

are all on tight.

You and every other wife in camp.

Oh, you might look over these socks.

Did Dr. Isabel really mean what he said

about our not leaving camp while the men are gone?

He couldn'’t have made it much clearer.

But don'’t worry, our food will hold out.

Well, I'’m thinking about my drawing materials.

I'’m down to my last sheet of paper

and just a stub of a crayon.

Well, you'’ll just have to possess your soul in patience.

I didn'’t want to come

to California in the first place.

I wanted to stay back East and study art.

Papa insisted.

Well, you were all he had, dear.

He couldn'’t foresee that he'’d never live

to the end of the journey.

VICKI: Parents are so selfish about children.

You'’ll understand when you have children of your own.

Thank you, I don'’t intend to have any.

Vicki, no marriage is complete without children.

Well, who said anything about getting married?

Of course you'’ll marry. [ chuckles ]

VICKI: I'’m going to be an artist.

Wait till you fall in love.

With whom?

I don'’t see any prospects around here.

Well, keep looking.I'’m not that interested.

A career is all very fine, Vicki.

But it can'’t take the place of marriage

and the joys of motherhood.

BOY: Bat! Bat! Bat!

Bats in the belfry!

VICKI: Ethan Bullock, don'’t you dare.

I found him in the old mission hanging from an arch.

VICKI: Well, take it away. Nasty creature.

[ blowing raspberry ][ screaming ]

Boo![ screams ]

Wanna see him fly?

No.No.

[ shrieking ]

Bats! Bats! Bats in the belfry!

[ children chanting ]

Is it gone?

Yes.

Little monsters.

Well, boys will be boys.

Well, you can have the joys of motherhood.

I'’ll stick to my sketchbook.

[ indistinct chatter ]

Who'’s it meant to be?Oh...

...just a man.

Handsome devil.

Of all the conceit.

Don'’t tell me it's me.

You just happened to be in my line of vision.

You used up your last bit of crayon on me?

Why aren'’t you over there at the meeting?

Oh, it'’s more for families.

I have nobody leaving tomorrow that I care about.

That'’s too bad.

I think I'’m very fortunate.

You do?

Please.

What do you want it for?

So I can draw something else on the back.

[ indistinct chatter ]

[ indistinct chatter continues ]

Goodbye, Mac.Goodbye, Vicki.

What I said last night about being fortunate?

Oh, I understood. I think I'’m fortunate, too.

MAX: Girl I matter most to is going with me.

My horse.

WOMAN: Bye! Bye, Henry!

[ all saying "Bye!" ]

There, that'’s the last.

What a relief not to have all those heavy overalls.

Oh, I kind of miss them.

Aw, Mrs. Isabel.

[ children yelling ]

[ yelling continues ]

[ screaming ]

Oh, I could rip the hides off all of them.

Brats.Something'’s got to be done with those children.

They need occupation.

They might try doing the wash.

Oh, it'’s a strain, living herded together

like this in wagons.

They were back home, they'’d be going to school.

School. That'’s what we need.

Where is there any school in this wilderness?

We'’ll start one. I taught before I was married.

I'’d be glad to take charge. We could use one of the wagons.

No, not enough room.

But there'’s a nice place in front of the old mission.

Oh, but then we have no school supplies.

No blackboards or slates, no pencils and paper.

If we could find pieces of wood, like shingles,

they could write on those like the Indians.

Write with what?

Anyway, there are no shingles around here.

You'’ll just have to teach them by rote.

Let them repeat out loud after you.

Oh, they can'’t learn to read that way, Vicki.

They'’ve got to see the letters.

Charcoal.

That'’s what we'’ll write with.

But what can we write on?

Our hands.

Oh, Vicki.

Ethan, take off your hat.

MRS. ISABEL: Jimmy, sit down.

[ children yelling ]

[ gavel pounding ]

Jimmy, sit down.

There'’s a blanket for you to sit on, Didi.

Right here.I don'’t wanna.

You'’re going to have to learn

to do what Mrs. Isabel asks you to.

Then can I sit by Mrs. Isabel?

I wanna sit by teacher.

VICKI: That'’s all right by me.

[ children giggling ]

Spoiled brat.

That will do, Ethan.

How many of you can write the letters of the alphabet?

That'’s fine. We'’ll start with the letter A.

Vicki will show you how to write it.

Now, we'’re going to give each of you

a piece of charcoal and I want you

to make the same mark on your hands.

MRS. ISABEL: Is everybody finished?

[ all together ] Yes.

Oh, that'’s very good.

Now, we'’ll--You didn'’t see mine!

That'’s very good, Didi.

Now we'’ll clean our hands and try the letter B.

He got my dress all dirty!

He got my dress all dirty.

Oh, Ethan, I'’m ashamed of you.

You go over there and stand in that arch

with your back turned and don'’t you come back

until I tell you you can.

Now we'’ll try the letter B.

Vicki will show you.

That'’s the letter B.

Now see if each of you can make one

as nice and neat as Vicki'’s.

Mrs. Isabel--Ethan, I don'’t want one word out of you.

But, Mrs. Isabel--Can'’t you ever behave?

[ loud roaring ]

[ gasps ][ screaming ]

[ roaring ][ screaming ]

I tried to tell you. I tried to, didn'’t I?

[ bear growls, roars ]

[ children scream ]

Well, children, now you know the letter B.

B is for "Bear."

[ children giggle ]

[ baby cries ]

I don'’t know how their mothers stand them.

One day with them at school and I'’m beat.

B-E-A-T.

You'’ll get used to it.

Look, I'’m not going on, Mrs. Isabel.

I just couldn'’t take it.

But I need you, Vicki.

Mrs. Isabel.Oh, hello, Evelyna.

Mrs. Isabel, I came to tell you

I'’m taking Didi out of school.

But you can'’t do that. It would disrupt

the whole class just as we'’ve got started.

Why do you want to take her out?

She tells me that that dreadful Bullock boy

let a wild bear into the school.

And Vicki used Didi for a shield

when the bear charged.

Why, that'’s an outrageous fib.

My Didi does not tell untruths.

Your Didi is an unmitigated--Please, Vicki.

I'’ll handle this.

Evelyna, the plain fact is that while

a bear did get into the school today,

he was really more scared than the children

and he turned tail and fled.

Mrs. Isabel chased him with a burning stick.

That'’s why he fled.

Oh, I didn'’t understand.

Maybe, even, she saved Didi'’s life.

Oh, for goodness sakes, I never thought of that.

Didi has a wonderful imagination, Evelyna.

You think so?

She needs to be in school so we can get

that imagination working in the right direction.

She'’s very talented, isn'’t she?Yes, she is.

And you owe it to her to give her a chance

to develop her talents in school.

Well, there'’s something to what you say.

I'’ll bring her back again tomorrow.

But only if you give her

your personal attention, Mrs. Isabel.

[ chuckles ] We'’ll do our best.

Thank you. See you in the morning.

[ exhales ]

Mrs. Isabel, I'’ll keep on

at the school if you really need me.

Thank you, dear.

I think I'’ll enjoy helping you

beat some truth into that dimpled little darling.[ chuckles ]

Three and two?

ALL: Five.

Six and one?

ALL CHILDREN: Seven!

Spell "cat."

ALL: C-A-T.

You have to raise it just a little more, Vicki.

There. Hold it right there.

There. Now ease it down.

Easy...

easy...

There. That'’ll do it.

[ groans ]

Go ahead and swear.

Why, Vicki.

It'’d be good to hear some choice, male

cuss words around here again.

I know what you mean.

I get just plain lonesome for the sound of men'’s voices.

Been a long time since they went away.

Four months.

Put this away, will you, Vicki?

VICKI: "Mac."

Yes, that'’s Mac's.

James let him leave his stuff in our wagon

since he had none of his own.

M...

...A...

...C.

Oh, I guess I'’ve got spelling on the brain.

Mrs. Isabel, what would happen to us

if Mexico won the war?

Well, that'’s highly unlikely.

Would they come here and seize us?

Of course not.

Well, we are Americanos. Alone and unprotected.

Now, nobody'’s bothered us so far, Vicki.

Nobody'’s going to, so you put

any such ideas out of your head.

What do you want?

We have no food to give away. No food.

[ speaking Spanish ]

What'’ll we do?I don'’t know.

Who'’re these men?

Don'’t you dare touch her.

[ speaking Spanish ]

You get out of here! Vamos!

[ speaking Spanish ]

Vamos!

You heard me, get out!

Get! Vamos!

It'’s all right, darling.

Vicki.They'’ve gone away.

Ethan got rid of them.

Ethan, that was very brave of you.

Aw, shucks.

I guess we'’ve got a man with us, after all.

Well, for two cents I'’d have let him have it.

Both barrels.

Señoras.[ gasps ]

[ chuckles ] My men frightened you, si?

What do you want?

I bring a letter.

SeñoraIsabel.

I'’m Mrs. Isabel.Ah.

It'’s from James.

Oh, uh, this too.

Oh, Vicki, this is for you.

Me?Mm-hmm.

Oh, Vicki, how pretty.

[ speaking Spanish ]

Who they from?

There'’s no name.

Our men are coming back.

They'’ve been discharged.

They'’ll be here in a couple of weeks.

Now, we'’ve all got to buckle down

and work like beavers so we'’ll be all ready

to show your fathers how much we'’ve learned

while they'’ve been away.

I'’m going to try you on some good, hard words today.

Do you all have your charcoal?

ALL: Yes, ma'’am.

California.

C.

A.

L.

I.

ALL: California.

Oh, James, why don'’t you ask Mr. McPherson

to share our meal tonight, him being alone?

JAMES: Mac isn'’t here.

He found a place down on the San Benito River

where he'’s going to settle.

So he'’s left the party.

Oh, we'’ll all be breaking up

in a couple of days, anyway.

JAMES: Going our separate ways.

MRS. ISABEL: Yes, I suppose it wouldn'’t be worth his while

to come all the way back here.

Hi.Oh, hello, Ethan.

Dr. Isabel asked me to come over

and help him pack some stuff.

He'’ll be back directly.

You suppose there'’s any schools in Yerba Buena?

That'’s where my folks are going.

I don'’t believe there are American schools

anywhere in California yet.

Where are you going from here, Vicki?

Oh, with the Isabels, I suppose, to Monterey.

They'’ve sort of adopted me.

Why don'’t you get married?

Takes two for that.

How about him?Who?

Him?Oh, that'’s just a sketch I made up.

It'’s Mac.

Do you really think it looks like him?

Uh-huh.

You'’re a good artist, Vicki.

Would you like to marry him?

He'’s not coming back, Ethan.

If he did, would you?

I won'’t even be here.

Well, if he was?

The teacher'’s supposed to ask the questions, Ethan.

Hey, this says "Mac."

JAMES: Why, yes, that belongs to McPherson.

Put it with his other stuff.

Just leave it here?

Oh, he'’ll be by to pick it up.

When?Tomorrow.

He will?Yes, he'’s riding up from San Benito.

Are you sure?That'’s what he told me.

Well...

And when the exercises are over at the very end,

we'’ll line the children up and have them spell

"School is out."

I can'’t wait to see what their parents

think of their progress.

I just hope they do well.

Now, you mustn'’t prompt them.

Remember, you have a tendency

to want to make things a little easy for them.

I have?

It'’s perfectly natural.

That'’s the mother instinct

in you whether you know it or not.

I'’ll go get the charcoal ready.

[ applause ]

You have seen here today what the children have learned

in the way of reading, and writing, and arithmetic.

Now, I want to give credit where credit is due. Vicki?

[ applause ]

I could never have run this school without Vicki.

She'’s been wonderful.

It was her idea that we use our hands to write on

since we had no blackboards, or slates, or paper.

She has shown imagination and patience

and hasn'’t hesitated on occasion,

to apply a palm of that same hand

where it would do the most good.

[ laughter ]

Vicki, take a bow.

[ applause ]

And now...

...as the last number on our program.

Children?

[ children chattering ]

The three sweetest words in the English language

to the ears of children.

[ children giggling ]

Children.

"Vicki..."

"...loves... Mac."

[ giggling ]

[ laughter ]

Children!

[ giggling ]

Children. Children. School is out.

[ children chanting ] School is out!

Wonderful the way things work out, isn'’t it?

And if you want to see where

California'’s first schoolmarm held fort,

visit the old ruins of the Santa Clara Mission

on the campus of the University of Santa Clara

at Santa Clara, California.