| "Stone Soup" | |
| Season 8, Episode 13 #174 overall in Series | |
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| Original air date | January 18, 1982 |
| Episode Guide | |
 IMDb
|
Stone Soup |
| Written by | Peter Dixon |
| Directed by | Maury Dexter |
| Episode Chronology | |
| Previous episode: "No Beast So Fierce |
Next episode: "The Legacy" |
Caroline comforts Laura after she collapsed from a heat stroke.
Laura has a heart-to-heart talk with Willie about responsibility and being a good example to younger students. It's a talk Willie takes seriously, particularly after a pregnant Laura – overwhelmed by managing Almanzo's orchard in his absence (he and Charles are on an extended delivery trip of critical mining supplies out of state) – collapses from heat stroke. Willie, who was going to the Wilders to help Albert with chores, is sent to get Dr. Baker, and ends up saving Laura's life.
Then, after hearing Caroline read "Stone Soup" at school, Willie commissions his classmates to help local farmers deal with the drought (starting with Laura's orchard) until Almanzo and Charles return.
Cast[]
- Karen Grassle: Caroline Ingalls
- Melissa Gilbert: Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Missy Francis: Cassandra Ingalls
- Jason Bateman: James Ingalls
- Matthew Laborteaux: Albert Ingalls
- Jonathan Gilbert: Willie Oleson
- Dean Butler: Almanzo Wilder
Notes[]
This is the last episode where Willie Oleson is sent to the corner for some offense at school. Early in the episode, during a discussion on the American Revolution, Willlie gives a thoughtful answer to Laura's question about whether – had the colonial army not gone to war or perhaps lost – the states would still be English territory; she notes to him that she's likes his improved focus on his studies and maturing attitude.
Later, however, Willie is (off-screen) caught reading a magazine full of western fiction in class, and she keeps him after school to have a one-on-one talk about his character. Willie sees no harm in the western stories, but that briefly unnerves Laura (because her father and husband are on an extended delivery run and she's afraid that they may be attacked by rogue Native Americans; she also admits she is stressed about keeping up the orchard in Almozno's absence and the ongoing heat wave). Willie gets his teacher to the heart of the matter: Laura tells him he is now one of the older students at Walnut Grove School and getting to be too old to be sent to the corner, and now he's got to be a role model and show more responsibility. Willie listens and vows to take Laura's advice ... and it isn't long before he is shown that he took it to heart
Incidentally, Mrs. Oleson also disapproves of Willie reading western fiction ... although Nels – who shares with Willie his magazines with stories of the Old West in them – tells her he is allowed to. Nancy, incidentally, enjoys reading her mother's Vanity Fair novels (without her permission); she makes her think she most likes LIttle Women instead!
Quotes[]
- Laura (while teaching her class): Without our revolutionary war heroes, we might still be a colony of England. Now, here's something interesting to think about: do men become heroes because of history, or do they create the events that make them heroes?
- Caroline (to Laura): Well, I can see I'm not gonna slow you down any. At least let me send Albert and James over to help you.
- Laura: Ma, I'm not a special case. Everyone with crops is...
- Caroline: Being pregnant makes you a special case!
- Albert (about Laura watering her orchard alone): She's gonna kill herself. Those buckets must weigh 40 pounds!
- Willie: She's sensible. She'll ask for help when she needs it.
- Albert: She's sensible sometimes.
External links[]
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| No Beast so Fierce | The Legacy |