A sort of surprising episode. As viewers, we pretty much understand the family dynamic here, and we know Ward will pitch in if it's an emergency, but he's never been one to do the boys' work for them. How could Beaver not know that?
Beaver finds Ward's old sketch book in the garage and discovers his father had a hidden talent: he was an artist. What a shame to discover a dad can do something cool and not make use of it. And the answer hits him when in school and Miss Landers ask for volunteers to draw posters. And as there is a prize for first place then Beaver is all in.
Wally isn't as sure Beaver can pull it off; he claims as there are monkeys who can paint better than Beaver. But Beaver has a secret weapon: a dad who can do it for him. Beaver tries some psychology on Ward to guilt him into doing a poster; but we knew what Ward would say. June, however, takes a dig at Ward's stand-on-your-own-two-feet philosophy; especially as her baby could benefit from Ward's talent.
Ward finally offers a few suggestions and sort of capitulates by drawing out a layout sketch for Beaver to follow. And Beaver has brought his friend Harry home to use as a live model. Even Wally offers to help fix up the poster a bit, but Beaver rejects it saying he's actually proud of the poster as it's all his. The class makes fun of Beaver's poster, but Miss Landers gets the other children to admit their posters were really done by their parents. And she believes we learn best when we try something all by ourselves. Nice rescue, and actually a good lesson to learn. Especially in our day and age when students often cage their work from the Internet and try to pass it off as theirs.
Wally is shocked Beaver won, and asks if there were even other contestants. But for Ward, pride comes when Beaver gives him the blue ribbon as a thank you for not helping him. With helicopter parents, that real sense of individual pride in accomplishment is disappearing.
Beaver finds Ward's old sketch book in the garage and discovers his father had a hidden talent: he was an artist. What a shame to discover a dad can do something cool and not make use of it. And the answer hits him when in school and Miss Landers ask for volunteers to draw posters. And as there is a prize for first place then Beaver is all in.
Wally isn't as sure Beaver can pull it off; he claims as there are monkeys who can paint better than Beaver. But Beaver has a secret weapon: a dad who can do it for him. Beaver tries some psychology on Ward to guilt him into doing a poster; but we knew what Ward would say. June, however, takes a dig at Ward's stand-on-your-own-two-feet philosophy; especially as her baby could benefit from Ward's talent.
Ward finally offers a few suggestions and sort of capitulates by drawing out a layout sketch for Beaver to follow. And Beaver has brought his friend Harry home to use as a live model. Even Wally offers to help fix up the poster a bit, but Beaver rejects it saying he's actually proud of the poster as it's all his. The class makes fun of Beaver's poster, but Miss Landers gets the other children to admit their posters were really done by their parents. And she believes we learn best when we try something all by ourselves. Nice rescue, and actually a good lesson to learn. Especially in our day and age when students often cage their work from the Internet and try to pass it off as theirs.
Wally is shocked Beaver won, and asks if there were even other contestants. But for Ward, pride comes when Beaver gives him the blue ribbon as a thank you for not helping him. With helicopter parents, that real sense of individual pride in accomplishment is disappearing.
