2x1 - Art of Salesmanship

August 31, 1955

Jim tries to encourage Bud to take after him in salesmanship.

2x2 - Father's Private Life

September 7, 1955

Jim comes home tired one day and is harangued by the kids. So, he and Margaret set up new rules to give him some time to relax—but it ends up backfiring.

2x3 - Lessons in Civics

September 14, 1955

A new highway is getting built, and for that the old community hall is going to be pulled down. That's something Jim wouldn't like to see since the hall is a historical monument, and also, memories from his youth are connected with this hall. Everyone from the family sees how much the hall means to Jim, and they use different ways to organize help.

2x4 - First Disillusionment

September 21, 1955

Bud loses a job to a boy who fakes his resume, which leads him to believe it is alright to do this himself

2x5 - Woman in the House

September 28, 1955

Margaret is forced to invite a woman who makes her uncomfortable because she is Jim's friend's wife.

2x6 - New Girl at School

October 5, 1955

Bud learns that the girl he likes is dating his best friend.

2x7 - Kathy Makes Magic

October 12, 1955

Kathy gets a new magic set, from a trade with a friend, and becomes convinced she can truly wield magic.

2x8 - Advantage to Betty

October 19, 1955

Betty has recently taken up tennis at school and is chosen for a photo shoot for the paper. This causes friction between her and her doubles partner, Eula, who is the team’s best player.

2x9 - The Big Test

October 26, 1955

Bud is accused of cheating because he is suddenly getting high grades in class.

2x10 - Father Is a Dope

November 2, 1955

After commenting on a sitcom (“Father Does It Again”) the family watches together one night, Jim speaks about how TV fathers are often portrayed as dumb in comparison with their families. Later, he plans on going hunting and starts believing that Margaret and the kids are secretly trying to get him to stay.

2x11 - Spirit of Youth

November 9, 1955

When Jim gets an invitation to a dance for his class reunion—class of ‘33—the kids start behaving as if their parents are ancient. Then, when the kids at their alma mater treat them the same, Jim and Margaret deal with the thought of getting older.

2x12 - Bud, the Ladykiller

November 16, 1955

Bud gets irritated by a girl (whom he refers to as “Dumb Dora”) who has a crush on him, hurts her feelings when his irritation leads to cruelty, and must make amends.

2x13 - Margaret's Premonition

November 30, 1955

Margaret has a premonition of danger for Jim’s upcoming business trip, and tries to get Jim to postpone it. But Jim believes it’s a bunch of superstitious nonsense, and insists on going anyway.

2x14 - Stage to Yuma

December 7, 1955

Tate Idsen saves a stagecoach from savage Indians in a flashback sequence.

2x15 - Bad Influence

December 14, 1955

Bud gets in trouble when his latest friend turns out to be a kleptomaniac.

2x16 - Betty Hates Carter

December 28, 1955

Betty is indignant when Jim arranges a date for her with an old insurance salesman buddy’s son, Carter.

2x17 - Jim, the Tyrant

January 4, 1956

Jim comes home early from work, after a long, hard day, and expects to gain comfort from his family, but is quickly disillusioned when they all are too absorbed in their own interests and tasks to pay attention to him. This just makes his mood more sour and he declares at dinner that if he must, he will become a tyrant. This leads to unwelcome consequences.

2x18 - Betty's Brother

January 11, 1956

Bud is having trouble in school and the family are hard-pressed to find out why. Eventually, Jim and Margaret come to the conclusion that, since he’s entered high school, he’s lost his confidence over being constantly compared to Betty and her accomplishments.

2x19 - Betty Earns a Formal

January 18, 1956

Betty gets a job to pay for a new, expensive formal for the Cinderella Ball at the country club.

2x20 - The House Painter

January 25, 1956

Jim has a bet with Betty and Margaret concerning human nature, integrity and the man painting their house—Mr. Everett.

2x21 - Bud, the Wallflower

February 1, 1956

2x22 - The Bus to Nowhere

February 8, 1956

The last few days Betty has no fun, she's sullen and does nothing. No one gets through to her, not even her parents. Betty faces a personal crisis when she has to find answers, basically, to the meaning-of-life question. The only way out for her is to put Bud's story (which he has written as an assignment) into reality: Enter a bus and go as far as the money takes her.

2x23 - Kathy, the Indian Giver

February 15, 1956

2x24 - The Historical Andersons

February 22, 1956

2x25 - The Grass is Greener

February 29, 1956

2x26 - The Persistent Guest

March 7, 1956

Bud new friend won't leave the Anderson house because he has no family.

2x27 - Family Reunion

March 14, 1956

The family tries to think up excuses to keep from going to Margaret's family reunion.

2x28 - Family Dines Out

March 28, 1956

2x29 - Bud, the Boxer

April 4, 1956

2x30 - Betty, Girl Engineer

April 11, 1956

Betty decides to become an engineer. Doyle: Roger Smith. Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray, Lauren Chapin.

2x31 - The Martins and the Coys

April 18, 1956

Betty and her boyfriend refuse to see again after Jim and his father fight.

2x32 - Dilemma for Margaret

April 25, 1956

Margaret admits before the PTA that she can't control her children.

2x34 - Father, the Naturalist

May 9, 1956

Jim fights the elements to collect plants for Kathy's nature folder. Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray.

2x35 - The Ten Dollar Question

May 16, 1956

The family member who doesn't tattle for one week will receive ten dollars.

2x36 - Adopted Daughter

May 23, 1956

Kathy finds a receipt for from the adoption center and believes she was adopted.

2x37 - Betty's Graduation

May 30, 1956