All language subtitles for Gunsmoke.S20E17.The.Fires.of.Ignorance.720p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-DarkSaber_track3_[eng]

[theme music]

ANNOUNCER: "Gunsmoke," with
Milburn Stone as Doc, Ken

Curtis as Festus, Buck
Taylor as Newly, and starring

James Arness as Matt Dillon.

[chickens clucking]

What is it?

It's the fox.

[music playing]

These two, and the
one the fox got away

with while you was sitting
here with your nose

stuck in that book.

I'm sorry, Pa.

Sorry don't mean nothing
to them dead chickens,

and it don't mean
nothing to me when I keep

hearing you say it so often.

Now bend over that barrel!

But Pa, I--

Do like I tell you, boy.

Bye, Ma!

Bye.

Bye, Pa.

You won't be going, son.

Well, I gotta go.

Mr. Decory is
having a test today,

and, well, it's awful important.

There's work to be done here.

I'll work with you after
school, Pa, I promise.

MAN: There's no more
discussing it, boy.

Now get back in the house and
change into your work clothes.

Go on.

But--

Go on.

You take these to
the teacher, honey.

Tell him Tommy won't be
needing them anymore.

Never?

Tell him I need Tommy
here on the farm.

He won't be going
to school anymore.

Bye-bye.

Yes, Pa.

Oliver, he couldn't
just work after school?

No school at all?

It'll break his heart.

He's our only son.

We built this for him,
to give him roots.

But he's drifted
from us and the land.

He's dreaming dreams that have
nothing to do with you and me,

or the farm.

And that's going to leave
empty everything we worked for.

[music playing]

Good morning, class.

STUDENTS: Good
morning, Mr. Decory.

Your history books, please.

You're late, Sally.

I'm sorry, Mr. Decory.

Page 86.

Where is Tommy this morning?

He's home, Mr. Decory.

Pa says he needs him
working on the farm.

For how long?

Pa said he may never come
back to school no more.

I don't understand, Sally.

When did your
father decide this?

SALLY: A fox got in our
chicken coop last night.

You know, Tom was supposed
to be keeping watch.

Pa caught him reading.

He told me to give
you these back.

WOMAN: Come and get it!

Ow!

Oh, oh!

Here, let me see that.

You know, I know
you don't like being

taken out of school, Tommy.

When a man works with his hands
and something good comes of it,

well, it's a feeling you
can't get out of any books.

That's my teacher, Pa.

That's Mr. Decory.

You better go inside now.

Go on.

Go on.

Hot day.

Afternoon, Mr. Harker.

Afternoon.

I understand you're keeping
your son out of school.

That's right.

Mr. Harker, I'm sure
you believe you have

valid reasons for
that decision, but

Tommy's become a fine student.

He's going to be a farmer.

He knows how to cipher,
read, and write.

That's all a man of
the land needs to know,

and I thank you for
teaching him that.

Right now, he's needed here.

Good afternoon to
you, Mr. Decory.

Mr. Harker, I'd
be willing to come

here every night to tutor him.

It's plain, Mr.
Decory, that you,

uh, you never worked
a farm before.

After a hard day's work,
you're lucky if you

stay awake through supper.

It's time for a man to
rest, look back on the day,

and ready himself for the next.

No time for books.

Mr. Harker, there's got to be
time for books and learning.

Time must be made for it.

I'll decide what time must
be made for, Mr. Decory,

in my house.

Now get off my land.

But Mr. Harker--

[music playing]

I don't know.

You'd think he'd be proud,
that he'd do anything

to see the boy develop.

How does Tommy feel about it?

Oh, he loves school.

You know, in all my
time with teaching,

I've never run into a
boy with his intellect.

And when you realize
when I first came here,

he couldn't even read-- Marshal,
maybe if you talked to Mr.

Harker--

Mr. Decory, you haven't been
around Dodge all that long,

but most of the people
here abouts are farmers,

and that's all they're
really interested in.

Don't they understand
there's more in the world

than just turnips and squash?

Marshal, isn't there
something you can do?

The best thing either of us can
do is to mind our own business.

Now, when you start telling a
man how to raise his own son,

that's butting in.

And I don't think he's
gonna like it very well.

I mean, it's just
so frustrating.

Once in a lifetime of a teacher
a boy like Tommy comes along,

and when he does, to
deny him an education--

it's an appalling waste.

Well, Decory, you see, back
east where you come from,

you have compulsory
education laws.

And we just haven't quite
got that far yet here.

Maybe it's time you did.

Good day, gentlemen.

Well, I think I-- I think I
know how he feels, Matt, kind

of like I do when I lose
a patient, you know,

somebody special.

Why in thunder is
it that some people

regard an education as a waste
of time or even a threat?

Now, why is that?

I don't know.

I'll tell you one thing.

Uh, being educated does
have some advantages.

What's that supposed to mean?

The teacher here
forgot to pay his bill.

But, uh, I'm sure
he'll thank you

for it next time he sees you.

I'll see you later.

[door shutting]

Tommy.

Tommy, come in.

Come on in.

TOMMY: Me and my mom had to
come in and do some shopping.

Sorry about having to
leave school, Mr. Decory.

No more than I am, son.

It's good to see you, though.

How are you getting along?

Pa's real pleased with
me working on the farm.

Mm-hmm.

What about you?

Oh, it's all right.

I don't know.

It's--

You miss school.

Yes, sir.

[chuckling]

Maybe your father
will change his mind.

Mr. Decory?

Hmm?

Could I borrow a book from you?

Tommy.

Tommy, there's
nothing in the world

that I'd like more to do
than to loan you a book.

But under the circumstances,
do you think it would be wise?

Well, Pa don't have to know.

MR. DECORY: Perhaps not,
but you and I, we both know.

We know how he feels.

And right now--

TOMMY: But I just
can't stop reading

for the rest of my life.

I'll read after my chores
or in between, anything.

Please?

All right.

All right.

"The Odyssey."

Well, you liked
the "Iliad" so much.

I think you'll like
this even better.

After you've read it,
perhaps we can talk, huh?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Decory, thank you.

Tommy.

Sir.

Tommy?

Let's just keep this as our
secret between you and me.

I don't want you to get in any
more trouble with your father.

Yes, sir.

Well, I better be going.

Ma will be waitin'.

Waiting?

ing, hmm?

Ing.

Thanks.

So what's happened
is they've landed

on this island where Circe
lives, and Circe is a goddess.

She can do magic.

Real magic?

Mm-hmm.

She turned Ulysses'
men into pigs.

Pigs?

That's terrible.

Yeah.

Here, I'll read it.

Two hogs transform the
sky and sea. [inaudible].

So-- Hi, Pa.

What are you two
doing up so late?

We was just talking, Pa.

About what?

About nothing, just talking.

You get to your
own bed now, girl.

It's only a book, Pa.

No harm in reading it.

I heard what you was reading.

You read all night, you're
not worth a darn the next day.

But I've been
working real good.

You said so yourself.

This book's only
part of it, son.

The fact is you disobeyed me.

Well, did you, or didn't you?

Yes, Pa, I did.

You don't understand
now, but I'm

doing this for your own good.

These fanciful books, they
got no meaning, least wise

for farm folks.

These books are-- are
only good to-- to turn

a man into a dreamer.

But there's nothing
wrong with dreams, Pa.

There is.

They take your
mind off your work.

Now, you come with me.

His chores are done, Oliver.

What harm can it do?

I'll handle this.

Please, not another whipping.

OLIVER: It seems like
whippings are useless.

Throw it in the fire.

No.

It's not mine.

It's Mr. Decory's.

Do like I say.

No, Pa, I can't.

OLIVER: Now get to bed.

There's work to
be done tomorrow.

You had no right to do that.

Would have rather that
you whipped me, Pa!

No one has the right
to do that, not no one!

No one!

Oliver!

Let him go.

[music playing]

Tommy, people have been
burning books for one reason

or another for centuries, but
books have outlived them all.

You can only, uh, destroy the
paper the words are written on,

not the thoughts behind them.

What am I gonna do, Mr. Decory?

I don't know, Tommy.

All we can do is try to
reach him, open his eyes.

And running away will
only make it worse.

I don't even-- I don't
care what he's saying.

I can't go back there.

All right.

You can say here tonight.

Tomorrow morning, we're
going to talk it out.

Couch is yours.

Yes, sir.

Tommy.

What happened to your back?

That's where Pa whipped me.

When?

The night the fox got
into the chicken coop.

He whip you like that often?

TOMMY: No, sir.

Only when I done
something real bad.

Go to sleep, Tommy.

I'll see you in the morning.

Do I still have to go home?

Yes, you do, Tommy, first
thing in the morning.

There's no other way.

Hello, Mr. Decory.

Join us here.

Oh, thank you.

Stopped over to your
office first, Marshal.

Festus told me you were here.

Something wrong?

Last night, Tommy Harker ran
away and came to my place.

Where is he now?

Reluctantly, I sent
him home this morning,

but I wish you'd take
a look at him, Marshal.

You too, Doc.

Boy's been whipped
by his father.

Marks are still on his back.

Mr. Decory, you're
from Massachusetts.

Don't fathers discipline
their boys there?

Perhaps, but that
doesn't make it right.

DOC: Wait just a minute.

There are folks
that, you know, still

deplore this kind of
treatment, and I'm one of them.

Now, you can punish a child.

You don't have to
beat him, you know?

Now, let me tell you something.

I've known Oliver Harker
a good many years.

-Well, I have too.
-All right.

He's a good man, isn't he?

Well, yes.

Maybe he's a little
old fashioned,

or maybe he's
stubborn, but that man

has a right to discipline
his son anyway he wants to,

and I'm not going to
interfere with him,

not until there's
a law that says so.

I don't buy that,
Marshal, not one iota.

That boy isn't an
ox pulling a plow,

and there must be somebody
who can do something about it.

But Doc, I'll
tell you something.

He's just gonna make
things worse for that boy.

Well, he cares.

There's something
to be said for that.

Well, sure, Doc.

But I still don't believe
that a man's got a right

to come between a
father and his own boy,

Doc, not unless that boy's
being badly abused or something.

That's not the case here.

You can abuse the mind too,
Matt, as well as the body.

Matt, for 20 years, you
and I have seen eye-to-eye

on just about everything.

On this, afraid we're
gonna cross swords.

[music playing]

And this time, you
can pay the check.

MR. DECORY: All right.

What is the name of this city?

Jackie?

Jack-- Lucy?

Jack-- Lucy?

Berlin, and it's in Germany.

Very good.

We hold these truths to--
we hold these truths to be

self-evident, that all
men are created equal,

that they are endowed
by their creator

with certain
inalienable rights, that

among these are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.

Now, in the Consti--

[door closing]

Stand up, boy.

We're going home.

Stand up.

I'm not going to tell you again.

Stand like you're told, or
I'll drag you to your feet.

Better go on home, so.

Keep out of this.

Mr. Harker, this
is my classroom.

Please wait outside.

I'll send Tommy out to you.

He's coming out with me.

Nobody's going to
send him anywhere.

No!

No!

I don't wanna go!

It's not necessary
to use force.

Pa!

Come on, Sally.

I believe we've all
learned enough for one day.

Class dismissed.

I don't blame you for
being upset, Mr. Decory.

But as I told you before,
you're interfering

between a father and his son.

Now, a schoolhouse is
community property.

A parent has a right
to go in there anytime.

And strike the teacher?

If you want to file assault
charges, I'll carry them out.

But I can't guarantee you
what'll happen after that.

Well, then, we'll just have
to see, won't we, Marshal?

[music playing]

JUDGE: Everybody rise.

Order in the court, please.

Who's representing
the defendant?

I am, your honor.

Mr. Decory, I understand
you've requested

to act as your own counsel.

That's right, your honor.

If that is your wish.

MR. DECORY: Now, Mr. Harker,
on the morning of the 14th,

you came to the
schoolhouse to take

your son away from the school.

Now, he didn't want
to leave, did he?

No, he didn't.

In fact, he resisted
you, didn't he?

That's right.

And when I tried to intervene,
you hit me, didn't you?

Because you were
butting in your big nose

where it didn't belong.

Then you admit
you assaulted me?

I never denied it, and I'd do
it again if I had the chance.

Thank you.

No more questions, your honor.

JUDGE: Bruce, any
cross-examination?

Mr. Harker, you said Mr.
Decory was butting in.

Would you explain that?

Well, even after I took
the boy out of school,

he still tried to
keep his hold on him.

He even came to
my farm and tried

to argue with me about it.

Finally, I had to
order him off my land.

Any other occasions?

OLIVER: He gave the
boy a book, even

knowing I told the boy I want
no more books in the house.

Would you say it
was Mr. Decory's

influence that caused Tommy
to return to school that day?

That's what I would say.

The boy even run away, stayed
at his house all night.

He had the missus
sick with worry.

LAWYER: So you'd say Mr. Decory
came between you and your son.

That's what I would say, yes.

No more questions, your honor.

You're excused, Mr. Harker.

Mr. Decory, you have
another witness?

Dr. Adams, your honor.

Now, tell me, Dr. Adams.

After the assault, you were
the one who treated me.

Now, what was the
extent of my injuries?

You had a bruise on your right
cheek and one on your shoulder.

MR. DECORY: What's your
background, doctor?

I mean, I know you have a
shingle outside your office

that says you're a
doctor of medicine,

but what exactly gave you the
right to put that sign up?

I studied medicine.

Your honor, the
defense acknowledges

Dr. Adams' qualifications and
that he's an excellent doctor.

Now, your honor, it's not his
qualifications I'm getting at.

It's how we got them, and why.

LAWYER: Your honor,
I have a feeling

Mr. Decory intends
to make schooling

and education an issue here.

Now, I realize the
prosecutor isn't

exactly a seasoned attorney.

However, I feel
obliged to remind him

that this is an assault trial.

If he continues in this
line, I must object.

I'm sorry.

I-- Your honor, with
all due respect,

Mr. Harker's attack on me
was prompted by the issue

of his child's education.

That would seem to me
that Mr. Harker's views

on education and
the assault are very

definitely closely related.

A reasonable assumption.

Objection overruled.

Continue, Mr. Decory.

MR. DECORY: Yes, sir.

Was your father a doctor?

DOC: No, no.

Then it was just your
decision to become one?

Oh, yeah.

MR. DECORY: Now, Dr. Adams,
don't you feel that Tommy

Harker and every
other child deserves

that same right of decision?

Objection, your honor.

Mr. Decory's managed to twist
his line of questioning again.

You've ruled that Mr.
Harker's views on education

may be relevant.

I'll accept the court's
judgment on that issue.

However, a child's right to
an education is not relevant.

JUDGE: Mr. Decory, I'm
afraid counsel is correct.

You don't have to
answer that, Dr. Adams.

Well, I insist
on answering that.

I think every child has a
right to an education right up

to the limit of his capacity.

Objection, your honor.

Sustained.

Now, wait a minute.

Don't be so danged
high and mighty, Caleb.

Listen to me.

You know as well as I
do the real issue here

is an education.

All of this other
fadderall is-- is hogwash.

LAWYER: Objection!

Dr. Adams, I must
remind you where you are.

Oh, I know where I am.

Your honor, I'll try to make my
questions a bit more relevant.

Please do.

MR. DECORY: Dr. Adams,
Mr. Harker attacked me

because he believes
he has the right

to force his child to quit
school whenever it suits him.

Now, do you believe, doctor,
a father has that right?

That's more relevant.

Objection, your honor.

I believe that it's possible
for a child to work and pursue

and education at the same time.

Your honor, how many
objections do I have

to make before I get a ruling?

JUDGE: Mr. Bruce,
despite Dr. Adams'

unnecessary and
unprofessional outburst,

I believe there's more on
trial in this courtroom

than simple assault. Overruled.

As I said before, your
honor, if education

becomes an issue in this
trial, I take exception.

JUDGE: Noted.

Proceed, Mr. Decory.

Doctor, do you believe that
it's as important for a child

to go to school as
it is for him to work

in the fields with his father?

Objection!

-You shut up.
-Overruled.

Yes.

MR. DECORY: Where do you
think you would be today,

doctor, without an education?

Well, I shudder to think of it.

-Objection!
-Overruled.

-Exception!
-Noted.

MR. DECORY: Is it
a fact, doctor,

that you owe everything
in your life to the fact

that you have an education?

-Objection!
-Overruled!

Exception!

Noted!

[interposing voices]

Order!

Order in this courtroom!

[interposing voices]

Order in this courtroom!

I want order!

Nobody's going to tell
me how to educate my boy.

That Decory's got no
right to interfere.

They're going to take
over when I'm gone.

Oliver should've
hit him harder.

ALL: Yeah!

Nobody's gonna tell me
how to raise my kids.

He's got no right.

He's only a school teacher.

Decory doesn't know anything
about this part of the country.

This isn't the East.

This is Kansas.

That's right.

Folks out here depend
upon their crops,

and they depend upon
their kids to help them!

You tell them, Burke!

ALL: Right!

DOC: How many kid
you got, Burke?

Now, that's got
nothing to do with it.

I think it does.

Burke, you know,
you're always sticking

your nose into something
that doesn't concern you.

Now, you listen to me, Doc--

Frankly, Burke, I'm
tired of listening to you.

Well, I-- I didn't
get up on the stand

and defend him like you did.

Burke, I said what
I said on the stand

because I was under oath.

Now, in case you don't
know what that means,

that means I had
to tell the truth.

A man don't need all that
schooling to be something.

I didn't have much.

Shows, too.

Here, Floyd.

Huh?
-No thanks.

Let's go, Festus.

Well, I just now got here.

BURKE: Festus, you never
went to school, did you?

No.

Well, uh, you feel
the sorrier for it?

No, 'cept some
once in a while, I

get to thinking a
whole mess of things

could've been made a whole
heap simpler if I had.

Floyd, give Festus
a beer on me.

A matter of fact, give him
all the beer he can drink.

[music playing]

That sucker's went plum crazy.

Mr. Decory, do you have
any other witnesses?

Your honor, I'd
like to call back

Oliver Harker to the stand.

JUDGE: Mr. Harker, will
you take the stand, please?

And may I remind
you, Mr. Harker,

you are still under oath.

Why did you hit me, Mr. Harker?

I already told you.

You were coming
between me and my son.

You mean just in the classroom?

All along, you've been filling
his head full of fool notions

that he's something special.

MR. DECORY: Did you object
to the books he read?

For a schoolteacher, it
sure takes you a long time

to figure things out.

[chuckling]

[gavel banging]

We'll have no more
sarcasm, Mr. Harker.

You burned one of those
books, didn't you, Mr. Harker?

That's right.

What was it called?

It doesn't matter.

Any book is harmful, then.

OLIVER: I didn't say that.

There's lots of good
ones, the Bible for one.

But they're bad when that's
all they got time for.

Mr. Harker, don't you want
your son to know more than just

to work in the fields
from sunup to sundown,

and to pray to God for
rain when there is none,

or for it to stop
when there's too much?

OLIVER: I always figured
God knows what he's doing,

I never seen a man dying
from hard work before.

And what if Tommy did go to
school all the time, like you

said, reading and learning?

What's he's gonna when he's
learned all there is to know?

Become a schoolteacher like you?

[chuckling]

MAN: Tell him, Oliver!

I am only a schoolteacher,
and I don't make very much.

But I'm as proud of
my work as you are.

Well, I'm a good father,
and no one can say I ain't.

And I do what I think
is best for my son.

I believe you, sir.

Mr. Harker, I understand
some years ago,

you had the best corn
crop in Ford County.

That's right.

MR. DECORY: Then the
yields began to diminish.

How was your crop last year?

Fair.

This year it's worse?

Yes.

You plant the same
ground every year, sir?

Yes.

Isn't it possible, Mr. Harker,
that the ground is worn out?

I mean, have you ever heard
of erosion, Mr. Harker?

No.

Have you ever heard
of rotation of crops?

No.

Mr. Harker, this
book-- this book

is called the
"Farmer's Almanac."

Have you ever read it?
-No.

Your son has.

It carries astronomical
data, weather forecasts,

even new farming techniques.

I got no time to read.

Why do you think your
son read this book?

Because he run out of
fairytale books, I suppose.

No, your son read this book
because he thought it could

improve your corn crop, sir.

And I might add, the
farmers who have read it

and followed it in the past
have improved their corn crop

and far surpassed
your yields, sir.

The value of
learning, Mr. Harker.

No further questions,
your honor.

You're excused, Mr. Harker.

Mr. Bruce?

Your honor, I'd like to call
Henry Decory to the stand,

please.

Mr. Decory.

"Farmer's Almanac."

Erosion.

Crop rotation.

Tell me, Mr. Decory,
where did you grow up?

In Massachusetts.

On a farm, I suppose.

No, in a town.

Oh, well, uh, as a boy,
did you have a garden?

Plant your own vegetables?

No.

Then how do you
know that what's

in this book isn't all hogwash?

Have you ever put
into practice any

of the farming techniques
written in this book,

or any other book on farming?

No.

No.

And I wager to say, Mr.
Decory, that you've never

had an aching back from pushing
a plow or digging a post hole,

or dirt under your
fingernails, or calluses.

Yes, Mr. Decory may be an
expert on books, but farming?

The defense rests, your honor.

[cheering]

MR. DECORY: Mr. Bruce.

Mr. Bruce, I've
never farmed, just

as most of these people
in this courtroom

here have never
taught in a classroom.

Each man to his own choosing.

But in order to do
that to its utmost,

you must be taught, educated.

Objection, your honor.

Mr. Decory happens
to be my witness,

and I'm through questioning him.

[chuckling]

JUDGE: Since Mr. Decory is
acting as his own counsel,

I would assume that
he has the privilege

of cross-examining himself.

Overruled.

Exception.

Noted.

Continue, Mr. Decory.

Your honor, one of the
first acts of our forefathers

when they first landed
on Plymouth Rock

was to pass a law demanding
compulsory education

for every child.

Objection!

Overruled.

MR. DECORY: And then,
Massachusetts, where

I come from, Mr.
Bruce-- Massachusetts

passed that into law in 1852.

And since that time,
Michigan, Vermont, New

Hampshire, Washington,
DC, Connecticut,

they've all passed it into law.

And maybe, your
honor, because of what

happens today in this
courtroom, perhaps

it won't be long before
compulsory education

comes to Kansas.

Objection!

[interposing voices]

Quiet!

We will have order
in this court!

Court is adjourned until
8 o'clock tomorrow.

[interposing voices]

[knock at door]

[music playing]

[chatter]

Everybody rise.

Quiet, please.

Quiet.

Quiet in the court.

Where's Mr. Decory?

Uh, judge, uh, your honor?

Mr. Decory was assaulted
last night by four men,

and they warned him.

They told him that if he showed
up here, they'd do it again.

What were the extent
of his injuries?

Cuts and bruises,
numerous contu--

[interposing voices]

[gavel banging]

You needn't be here.

I'll make it, Doc.

Are you all right?

I feel just fine, your honor.

Sorry I'm late today, but I
just had to ensure the presence

of an additional witness.

Your honor.

Thank you, Doc.

The defense wants
it plainly known

that it deplores what happened
to Mr. Decory last night,

and it condemns it.

JUDGE: Well said, Mr. Bruce.

[gavel banging]

Court is now in session.

Mr. Decory, the defense
has rested its case.

You said you have an
additional witness?

Yes, sir.

Tommy Harker.

[murmuring]

Your honor, we object to the
calling of the defendant's son.

Prosecution can hardly
expect a boy to testify

against his own father.

Now, Tommy, uh, no one is
forcing you to take the stand.

You can step down if you want.

No, sir.

I'll stay.

[murmuring]

JUDGE: Mr. Decory.

Tommy, can your
father read and write?

Yes, sir.

MR. DECORY: Could his father?

Uh, no, sir.

So your father's
had some schooling?

Yes, sir.

He had some.

MR. DECORY: So he learned
how to read and write.

His own father could neither
read nor write, but he

saw to it that his son did.

Tommy, when you first
came to me in school,

you were almost 10 years.

You got a very late
start in school.

Could you read at that time?

Uh, no, sir.

MR. DECORY: Could you write?
TOMMY: No, sir.

MR. DECORY: Add or subtract?

No, sir.

Now, your honor,
with your permission,

I would like you to just
call out some numbers, two

or three digits.

And Doc, if you
will, will you write

those numbers down
on here and add

them up as quickly as possible?

Tommy, I want you to listen
to the judge very carefully.

And when he's through,
please give us your total.

Your honor, I'd like you
call the numbers out rapidly,

please.

All right.

24, 35, 16, 44, 61, 52, 77.

Is that enough?

Yes, sir.

What's your total, Tommy?

309.

And you, Doc?

Just a minute.

309.

[murmuring]

MR. DECORY: You've all just
seen an example of what

can be achieved by education.

Potential is limitless.

If it were not for the
great minds of this nation,

the Benjamin Franklins,
the Lincolns, the Thoreaus,

this country would
not be where it is,

and we would not be
gathered here today.

All of these men were great
men because they were educated.

And despite Mr.
Harker's determination

to keep his son
out of school, he

understands very well
the value of learning

because he, too, is a teacher.

You are all teachers.

You teach your children
how to milk cows

and how to stack
wheat because you

realize without that
knowledge, they are helpless.

Now, all of you want your
children to become farmers.

There's nothing wrong with
a boy becoming a farmer.

Farming is an ancient
and honorable trade,

but must a farmer
be only a farmer

because he knows nothing else?

George Washington was a farmer.

Thomas Jefferson was a farmer.

Many of our greatest leaders,
they all grew up on farms,

just like your children.

Now, the difference
between our teachings

is that I teach from a book
because I learned from books,

because the sum total
of all human knowledge

is passed down in books.

I told Tommy Harker
that burning a book

can't stop a child's
hunger for knowledge,

but a child's parent can.

He can stifle it or kill it,
just as you can kill a plant

if you deny it light and rain.

You take your children
out of school.

You tell them long
enough and hard enough

that teaching and
schooling is unnecessary.

The ultimate tragedy,
then, is that they will

come to accept that as fact.

And once they do, once they
believe that schooling is

a waste, from that
very moment on,

the lust, these bright,
agile, young minds

will be tarnished forever.

And we will be the poorer
for it because by robbing

our children, we
also rob ourselves

and all our future generations
of the priceless gift

of knowledge.

I'm through, your honor.

[clearing throat]

Well, uh, Mr. Decory is
quite a-- quite a speaker.

It's plain his
education was thorough,

but that doesn't
necessarily make him right.

But you are not here
to decide this issue.

I feel obliged to remind
the jury that you sit here

in judgment, not on a child's
right to an education,

but on assault. Assault.

And you are here to decide
whether or not Mr. Oliver

Harker is guilty and should
be punished for striking

a man who came knowingly
and deliberately

between him and his son.

And that, not education, is
the subject of this trial.

And I hope and trust that
every member of this jury

will agree that a father's
right to protect his child

is the most sacred
right every parent has.

[music playing]

You didn't expect to
win that case, did you?

Not at first.

But as we got deeper and
deeper into the trial,

I hoped that-- no, I guess not.

You didn't want Oliver
Harker to go to jail, did you?

MR. DECORY: No.

No, I didn't.

But that wasn't what
was on trial, Doc.

Henry, you familiar
with the old saying,

he who fights and runs away?

I am.

You didn't finish it.

He who fights and runs away
may turn to fight another day.

He that's in the battle slain
will never rise to fight again.

Well, maybe I'm
tired of the battle.

DOC: Henry, I-- I'm
afraid you may have lost

something besides just blood.

Now, look, Doc, I
thought a town like Dodge

would welcome education.

I thought that all men
wanted better for their sons.

There wasn't a word that I
said that made any difference

to these people, nothing.

Standing still.

That's all they
want for themselves.

That's all they're going to
pass on to their children.

They might as well hibernate.

Henry--

Doc, I tried to
keep one child, just

one child with extraordinary
ability, in school,

and I failed.

What about the other children?

How am I going to help them now?

You made a point today.

Yes, I made a point.

I got everybody in this
whole town against me.

You reached a couple
of people today.

Tomorrow, maybe a couple more.

Henry, it takes time.

I started teaching
when I was 23, Doc.

I'm 43 now.

I don't have much time to
wait, at least not here.

Henry, let me tell you
something about time.

A few years ago, this
was a wilderness.

Somebody came along
and built a town.

Others came, and
Dodge became a town.

It cost a lot of
blood, but it's here.

There was no medicine
here until I came.

There was no law until
Matt Dillon came,

and no education, not the
kind we're talking about,

until right now.

And in that regard,
it's still a wilderness.

Anytime anybody comes
into town and wants

to change anything, they've
always been met by ignorance,

suspicion, even violence.

Henry, all you can do is plant
a seed and hope it grows.

Henry, if you stay, that boy and
a lot of others have a chance.

Now, if you leave, they don't.

I'm not sure I
care anymore, Doc.

You don't?

[music playing]

ANNOUNCER: Stay tuned
for exciting scenes

from our next "Gunsmoke."

[music playing]