Well, like all LITB episodes there are plenty of laughs and charmingly embarrassing moments. However, this episode is strange in that it is the 2nd to last episode of the whole series, but seems it should have aired a few episodes earlier. Prior episodes include Wally & the Beav graduating from their respective schools, yet now here we are back in the classroom. It gives this deja vu feeling of "didn't they have a similar episode before?" Additionally, it seems strange to make a contest out of donating clothing and then displaying the items for the whole class to see. This may be one of my least favorite episodes of the series, yet it's hard not to love them all regardless.
9 Reviews
Some of the funniest scenes in the entire series !
tweiss-6736818 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I don't understand the criticisms of this episode. The premise may be so so, but Ward's reactions to his simple mistake are hysterical. First he has to plead with his family to explain things to the school. June defends herself like a top flight attorney and then sentences Ward to accept his own responsibilities. Then Ward has to uncomfortably explain things to the principle, actually slinking in his chair while doing so. Ward makes a little mistake and then has to accept the very consequences that he usually imposes on his family.
Beaver misses out, and so did the writers.
pensman13 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
We seem to be out of sequence. Beaver has graduated and is traveling the country. Now Beaver, Chuck, and Mike are arguing about getting the good citizen award for turning in the most clothes to the school clothing drive. And who are Chuck and Mike? Actually, it seems none of the series regulars are in the classroom.
Beaver is emptying his closet and drawers to find clothes to give away. Whoever wins gets his name and picture in the paper. June is a bit upset when she finds Beaver has thrown his first baby suit away, not to mention Wally's clothes also.
Ward places some of his suits on the stairs banister to be cleaned and pressed but they slip off onto the floor. Beaver sees them and takes them in as a donation. The suits put Beaver into the winner's circle.
Ward calls home to see if his suits have been picked up by the cleaner. When Ward finds his suits are gone, he has to get them back. Beaver will have to give back his award.
At dinner, the family talks about how Beaver will get the suits back. Perhaps June can go to school and get the suits back. June calls for a recount of who is responsible for the mix up in the first place, and the answer is Ward.
Ward is trying to get his suits back, but Mrs. Rayburn gives Ward such praise for his donation that he almost doesn't get the suits back. But those are his good suits. All is not lost as Beaver gets a chance to make an additional donation to keep his points. Beaver offers to give up his points as he had an extra chance to win. Now the decision rests with Mr. Bailey.
Not a satisfying episode. There's a sense it was thrown together at the last minute. Only Mr. Bailey and Mrs. Rayburn are back for the episode.
Beaver is emptying his closet and drawers to find clothes to give away. Whoever wins gets his name and picture in the paper. June is a bit upset when she finds Beaver has thrown his first baby suit away, not to mention Wally's clothes also.
Ward places some of his suits on the stairs banister to be cleaned and pressed but they slip off onto the floor. Beaver sees them and takes them in as a donation. The suits put Beaver into the winner's circle.
Ward calls home to see if his suits have been picked up by the cleaner. When Ward finds his suits are gone, he has to get them back. Beaver will have to give back his award.
At dinner, the family talks about how Beaver will get the suits back. Perhaps June can go to school and get the suits back. June calls for a recount of who is responsible for the mix up in the first place, and the answer is Ward.
Ward is trying to get his suits back, but Mrs. Rayburn gives Ward such praise for his donation that he almost doesn't get the suits back. But those are his good suits. All is not lost as Beaver gets a chance to make an additional donation to keep his points. Beaver offers to give up his points as he had an extra chance to win. Now the decision rests with Mr. Bailey.
Not a satisfying episode. There's a sense it was thrown together at the last minute. Only Mr. Bailey and Mrs. Rayburn are back for the episode.
This episode seems out of order...
AlsExGal31 December 2023
... as the episode before seems to be after Beaver has left the eighth grade and is headed for ninth grade. He is also supposed to be on a summer long tour of the United States along with other teens his own age. Yet, somehow, here he is still in the eighth grade.
As an individual episode though, it's pretty good. The kids in his grade are collecting clothes for a clothing drive so they can give clothes to the needy. Beaver gets a little over enthusiastic and grabs some of Wally's still serviceable clothes, and of course Wally retrieves them. Ward says he'll leave some clothes in the hall for the clothing drive. Instead he pulls three of his good suits out of the closet, puts a "PLEASE DRY CLEAN" sign on them, and leaves them tenuously balanced on the banister. When Ward leaves for work the clothes fall to the floor, and the DRY CLEAN sign blows away. Beaver naturally thinks these clothes are for the clothes drive. Complications ensue, none of which are Beaver's fault.
It's interesting that these kids are all working to win the good citizenship award. The fact that they are being taught about good citizenship at all and that noblesse oblige is part of being a good citizen seem as much a part of the past as June's always neat and well pressed house dresses. Yet it's sad to see both of these things fade into the past.
Also note that at the beginning of the show that Beaver and a friend are talking about hand-me-down clothes and wondering if the president's son has to wear the hand-me-downs of his older sister. They would be talking about JFK Jr. And his older sister Caroline as JFK is the president at this time.
As an individual episode though, it's pretty good. The kids in his grade are collecting clothes for a clothing drive so they can give clothes to the needy. Beaver gets a little over enthusiastic and grabs some of Wally's still serviceable clothes, and of course Wally retrieves them. Ward says he'll leave some clothes in the hall for the clothing drive. Instead he pulls three of his good suits out of the closet, puts a "PLEASE DRY CLEAN" sign on them, and leaves them tenuously balanced on the banister. When Ward leaves for work the clothes fall to the floor, and the DRY CLEAN sign blows away. Beaver naturally thinks these clothes are for the clothes drive. Complications ensue, none of which are Beaver's fault.
It's interesting that these kids are all working to win the good citizenship award. The fact that they are being taught about good citizenship at all and that noblesse oblige is part of being a good citizen seem as much a part of the past as June's always neat and well pressed house dresses. Yet it's sad to see both of these things fade into the past.
Also note that at the beginning of the show that Beaver and a friend are talking about hand-me-down clothes and wondering if the president's son has to wear the hand-me-downs of his older sister. They would be talking about JFK Jr. And his older sister Caroline as JFK is the president at this time.
GOOD CITIZENS BAD DAY.
tcchelsey13 November 2023
I agree with the last reviewer, there are some hilarious scenes here, and you can thank
writer Allan Manings. Allan only wrote two episodes for the series, and that's a shame, because he went on to write for LAUGH IN and created ONE DAY AT A TIME.
It's Good Citizen Week at the school, and Beave is doing his part by donating clothing to the less fortunate. Something we all did as kids... except to donate some of your dad's BEST suits to the clothing drive. What a dilemma!
Poor Ward has to "go back to school" and face principal Mrs. Rayburn (Doris Packer) and kind of, sort of, ask for his clothes back, please?
How embarrassing, and he is even slumping in his chair? Hugh Beaumont was a terrific actor, and while not a comedian, had his moments with lighter material. I always thought his facial expressions were the tops, that look of stunned disbelief, rivaling Fred MacMurray in MY THREE SONS.
The production notes are confusing, because the last episode had everybody on summer vacation, now they're back in school? This also could have been an episode held back and released at a later date to promote a new episode, as opposed to a rerun.
Interestingly, directed by Charles Haas, who majored more in drama. He worked at Warner Brothers/ABC tv, behind many cop shows. That said, he handles the cast well.
SEASON 6 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2011 release. Terrific color box cover photo. In fact, every season box cover has a memorable photo, begging the question, why didn't they film at least a few final episodes in color?
It's Good Citizen Week at the school, and Beave is doing his part by donating clothing to the less fortunate. Something we all did as kids... except to donate some of your dad's BEST suits to the clothing drive. What a dilemma!
Poor Ward has to "go back to school" and face principal Mrs. Rayburn (Doris Packer) and kind of, sort of, ask for his clothes back, please?
How embarrassing, and he is even slumping in his chair? Hugh Beaumont was a terrific actor, and while not a comedian, had his moments with lighter material. I always thought his facial expressions were the tops, that look of stunned disbelief, rivaling Fred MacMurray in MY THREE SONS.
The production notes are confusing, because the last episode had everybody on summer vacation, now they're back in school? This also could have been an episode held back and released at a later date to promote a new episode, as opposed to a rerun.
Interestingly, directed by Charles Haas, who majored more in drama. He worked at Warner Brothers/ABC tv, behind many cop shows. That said, he handles the cast well.
SEASON 6 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2011 release. Terrific color box cover photo. In fact, every season box cover has a memorable photo, begging the question, why didn't they film at least a few final episodes in color?
Contractual obligation?
Hendry216 October 2018
As others said, this episode is out of sequence.
The story was flat, though Ward and June helped to bring some life into it, June forcing Ward to be accountable for his mistake, though it is frustrating to see how out of step it is with the series time line.
Wally and Beaver had already graduated in earlier episodes, and per the previous episode Beaver was supposed to be away and touring the country all summer with his friends, and Wally no doubt already getting ready to be "up at State," so it did not make sense to see Beaver back at Grant Avenue Elementary - and suddenly acting about 2 years younger, with his hair a mess and worrying about being a poor citizen, and Wally coming home from school with his books under his arm.
I've dreaded this episode every time it comes around - why can't Universal shuffle the episode deck or shelve it entirely?
I hope someone from Universal (or at least the actors or their agents) will read this and ask this episode be pushed back to the beginning or middle of Season 6 (by the way the boys were dressed when they were walking to school, it was supposed to be Fall or Winter).
It's a shame, because a weak episode like this brings down the rest of the series, and since it's the penultimate episode, it leaves many confused over the disrupted time line. Like they say, most people judge things on a first - and last - impression. From what I once read on the show's Facebook fan page, the episode was originally not meant to be the next to last but was reordered when a mutual decision was made not to continue the series.
The story was flat, though Ward and June helped to bring some life into it, June forcing Ward to be accountable for his mistake, though it is frustrating to see how out of step it is with the series time line.
Wally and Beaver had already graduated in earlier episodes, and per the previous episode Beaver was supposed to be away and touring the country all summer with his friends, and Wally no doubt already getting ready to be "up at State," so it did not make sense to see Beaver back at Grant Avenue Elementary - and suddenly acting about 2 years younger, with his hair a mess and worrying about being a poor citizen, and Wally coming home from school with his books under his arm.
I've dreaded this episode every time it comes around - why can't Universal shuffle the episode deck or shelve it entirely?
I hope someone from Universal (or at least the actors or their agents) will read this and ask this episode be pushed back to the beginning or middle of Season 6 (by the way the boys were dressed when they were walking to school, it was supposed to be Fall or Winter).
It's a shame, because a weak episode like this brings down the rest of the series, and since it's the penultimate episode, it leaves many confused over the disrupted time line. Like they say, most people judge things on a first - and last - impression. From what I once read on the show's Facebook fan page, the episode was originally not meant to be the next to last but was reordered when a mutual decision was made not to continue the series.
Definitely a Head Scratcher Why It Was Second to Last Shown
joenic-2927918 May 2022
The Clothing Drive was the 4th episode shot for the 6th season. Why it was shown when it was will likely remain a mystery, as the decision-makers have all likely passed away by now. Someone mentioned it was thrown in as a contractual obligation; and perhaps initially was meant to be canned. As a stand-alone episode, it doesn't (in my opinion) live up to other LITB episodes.
This is episode 16155, the 4th 6th season episode filmed. 152 is missing from the list (151 Wally's License was the first filmed), which tells me they did can some episodes along the way; and is why I think that may have been the original intention here. On the other hand, TV episodes during this era were meant to be stand-alone stories, not having to do with preceding or follow-ups, the rare two-parter notwithstanding. Today, shows tend to follow a story arc, and are often serialized. This was rare in the early 60s.
Leave it to Beaver is currently being shown 8a CT -- 2 episodes -- each morning on METV. The episode was shown again this morning, in order. Interestingly thought, the last cycle they ran for series, the showed The Clothing Drive before the graduation episode. While better, it still doesn't make sense with the different cast of school characters, different teacher, etc.
This is episode 16155, the 4th 6th season episode filmed. 152 is missing from the list (151 Wally's License was the first filmed), which tells me they did can some episodes along the way; and is why I think that may have been the original intention here. On the other hand, TV episodes during this era were meant to be stand-alone stories, not having to do with preceding or follow-ups, the rare two-parter notwithstanding. Today, shows tend to follow a story arc, and are often serialized. This was rare in the early 60s.
Leave it to Beaver is currently being shown 8a CT -- 2 episodes -- each morning on METV. The episode was shown again this morning, in order. Interestingly thought, the last cycle they ran for series, the showed The Clothing Drive before the graduation episode. While better, it still doesn't make sense with the different cast of school characters, different teacher, etc.
Earlier episode, before Jerry Mathers lost his acting abilities
vitoscotti17 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Jerry Mathers still had it here. Evidence he kept a blah episode tolerable. Chuck, Mike, and, Mr Bailey are so generic it's tough to have a great episode with their lifeless characters. Hugh Beaumont & Barbara Billingsley are the cute ones here with fun discussion who will get the suits back.
Being a Good Citizen
StrictlyConfidential26 January 2021
(*June to Beaver quote*) - "I better sift through this batch first."
Beaver's class is having a charity drive where students bring in unwanted clothing for donation to the poor.
What happens next is 3 of Ward's good suits accidentally get mixed up with all of the give-away clothes. It takes some effort on his part to get these suits returned to him.
In the meantime - Beaver becomes the winner of the good citizen award.
Beaver's class is having a charity drive where students bring in unwanted clothing for donation to the poor.
What happens next is 3 of Ward's good suits accidentally get mixed up with all of the give-away clothes. It takes some effort on his part to get these suits returned to him.
In the meantime - Beaver becomes the winner of the good citizen award.
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