Reverend Alden stirs up a hornets nest in Walnut Grove when he pleads for a Church bell. Mrs. Oleson offers to donate a large bell as well as a plaque commemorating her generosity. While half of the residents refuse to accept the donation, arguing that the plaque would be sacrilegious, the other half frown upon the others' apparent ingratitude. The blame invariably falls on Reverend Alden and he is convinced he must leave. With the help of a friendly mute, Tinker Jones, the children decide to band together and forge the bell on their own before its too late.

DescriptionEdit

"The town becomes divided when Mrs. Oleson offers to buy a bell for the church on the condition that she is permitted to put up a plaque. The conflict begins to affect the school children until a mute craftsman, Tinker Jones, steps in to make a bell with the help of the students."^[1]

CastEdit

• Michael Landon: Charles Ingalls
• Karen Grassle: Caroline Ingalls
• Melissa Gilbert: Laura Ingalls
• Melissa Sue Anderson: Mary Ingalls
• Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush: Carrie Ingalls
• Barney: Jack

TriviaEdit

• This was one of the few times where we see the relatively nice and cooperative side of Nellie Oleson (prior to her Season 6 marriage to Percival). Her character was definitely taken up several notches later on, but in Season 1, she was relatively quiet and, although bratty, was not so malicious as she eventually became.^?

• This is the first episode where Christy and Sandy Kennedy's father really gets a big role, large enough to showcase his incredibly hot-headed personality. This attitude of his would be shown again in future Season 1 episodes, but sadly the Kennedy family did not last beyond the beginning of Season 2, and they were removed from the plot.^?

• In a 2006 interview, Melissa Sue Anderson stated that actor Jimmy McNichol (here making a guest appearance) was an extremely difficult and unruly child who enjoyed causing havoc off set. During a break in filming, in an effort to get Anderson's attention, McNichol threw a pencil at her; it pierced her face just millimeters under her right eye. Though Anderson didn't elaborate in the interview, she said that McNichol got in "a LOT of trouble" as a result. He had appeared in three consecutive episodes, but never surfaced again after this one.^?

• Sean Penn appears in this episode as an uncredited school kid and his father Leo directed the episode.^?

External linksEdit

• IMDb
• TV.com
• TV Guide
• YouTube

SourcesEdit

1. ↑ Season 1 Episode Booklet