So who says these old shows aren't topical? Lumpy doesn't make the grades to secure his scholarship, Ward calls up his old chum on the admissions staff. "Sure Ward! We'll hold the scholarship to see if he makes it through summer school."

They don't show the guy hanging up the phone and tearing up the scholarship offer for the next kid, who did make the grades.

All that's missing is a Hollywood star doing the deed.

In a later episode Ward greases the way for Wally (and Eddie, to his dismay) to get into his fraternity, Alpha Kappa.

I thought Lumpy played the tuba......guess he changed into his band uniform at half time.

In some episodes he played the tuba, in others, the clarinet. But, yes, fast change at halftime, and back again after halftime is over...

Since when did Lumpy ever have good enough grades to receive a sports scholarship? Is this a plausible scenario? Has his father Fred been exaggerating to the scholarship people and that was how it happened?

That's a good point. He'd been left back twice.

One premise in the episode is Fred calling Clarence at the party to inform him he didn't get the scholarship, due to flunking math (Fred taunted Lumpy by imitating him on the phone...what a great father!). Later after Ward pulled the strings, Fred admitted he had to send him to summer school to bring up the grade.

Although Lumpy was chubby and socially awkward...I think Fred secretly envied him. Fred had to compensate by constantly bragging...better car, better job knowing people in high places( bank presidents,chief of police, editor of the newspaper Mr Langley etc).... Lumpy was really a good kid who was well liked

with the real life admissions scandal on going - how appropriate !

Although Lumpy was chubby and socially awkward...I think Fred secretly envied him. Fred had to compensate by constantly bragging...better car, better job knowing people in high places( bank presidents,chief of police, editor of the newspaper Mr Langley etc).... Lumpy was really a good kid who was well liked

Right, Fred was really insecure. He compensated by bragging to his peers, like Ward, and treating his boy horribly. The few times we saw him with Violet, though--that was a different story. Daddy's little girl.

Really a well-conceived character who added a lot to the show. And brilliantly played by Richard Deacon.

I thought Lumpy played the tuba......guess he changed into his band uniform at half time.

That is too funny!!! Never thought of that playing football and in the band.

Fred is a buffoon and treats his wife horribly at that Langley wedding. Langley should have set him straight. She tries to shake Ken’s hand and Fred bumps her hand out of the way then proceeds to walk away with Langley.

He was about to yell at Lumpy over the phone, but Gwen stopped him.

You have to feel sorry for her having married a boob like that.

You wonder how he got away treating her so shabbily.

She could have made some cutting remarks (had they cast her on a more regular basis). Ala Buddy Sorrell with Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

She could have been in some scenes where Fred was dissing Clarence. She could nail him good, and come to Lumpy's defense. Would have been interesting.

She could have made some cutting remarks (had they cast her on a more regular basis). Ala Buddy Sorrell with Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

She could have been in some scenes where Fred was dissing Clarence. She could nail him good, and come to Lumpy's defense. Would have been interesting.

Like her telling Fred "your son takes right after you" !

Fred was also horrible to Lumpy. Love when he’s going to call him Clarence but instead yells “Lumpy get down her.” Love when he tells Lumpy to get back to his Calculus. “Calculus? I’m still taking algebra.” I think Wally took algebra in Season 1.

In Wally’s Practical Joke he really disses Lumpy agreeing with the guys to not let Lumpy help as they’re doing fine without him. “And don’t play that stupid tuba your mother is taking a nap.” Was she sick? He seemed to care a lot about his wife in that episode. Yup Fred really was a terrible parent to Lumpy and was always trying to cover up his flaws. Fred had more personality flaws than Lumpy.

Oh yeah Fred was way worse than Lumpy. Lumpy straightened himself out in the later years. No more bully. In Eddie's Sweater, he even backed away from Wally after Eddie socked him (Wally).

He seemed like an awful coward for a big hefty guy who plays football. He really bullied the boys way back then would back off from Wally.

How was in line for when Wally had better grades and had lettered in I think in track, baseball, and football?

Right, Lumpy played football and I guess was on the track team, Wally played a lot of sports.

They didn't have to write it so that Wally didn't get a scholarship. They could have had both of them get one, and Wally could still have suggested a party for Lumpy, and June could have said, why not a party for both of you.

Another differance is Lumpy had been left back twice because failed English or Math twice a
nd Wally always had good grades and played sports.

Yep, and he was failing something right then, too. That's why they called Fred and withdrew it. Fred later admitted to Ward that he'd have to go to summer school.

The whole college thing is confusing because in the fraternity episode Wally and Eddie are trying to get into Ward's fraternity at State, Alpha Kappa. Lumpy wasn't included in that, which is odd.

I guess Lumpy had to wait and see if he passed math before he could get the scholarship and pick a fraternity. Didn’t Beaver mention how Eddie also had to attend summer school? I think it was in Summer in Alaska. It could be Beaver Sees America. Eddie was hoping to commute to college on a motorcycle. So where was State?

Yeah, I think I remember the remark. It was probably in the boys' room, with the three. One good thing the writers did was to give Beaver some good lines to toss at Eddie. One of 'em was something like, Who'd (something) with a creep like you? Maybe it was at the beginning of the credit card ep. And Eddie said something like, Pull, Junior.

A good question, where was State? Riverside? Bellport? Who knows? June studied business but she couldn't balance her books. (Being at Riverside would make sense, June could've stayed with Aunt Martha, or wherever Martha lived, depending on the episode.)

“The only time your father would cry is when you move back home.”

Beaver- “You look like a dummy in a department store window.”
Eddie- “You take that back.”
Beaver-“Okay you look just like a dummy.”

How was in line for when Wally had better grades and had lettered in I think in track, baseball, and football?

I always wondered that, too.

I never even thought of Lumpy as a football player at all.

But, in that episode they mention that he was the "most improved player" and that he had one great game that impressed the recruiter.

I'm not sure they ever mentioned that Wally played football. Baseball, track, swimming, basketball--all mentioned.

If he did play football it was probably as a Quarterback.

I'm not sure they ever mentioned that Wally played football. Baseball, track, swimming, basketball--all mentioned.

He did.

In "Beaver, the Hero," Beaver went over to watch Wally and his team practiced and later criticized how they did.

Oh, yeah! Beaver's head was swollen to the max at that point, and Wally threw to the wrong receiver 'cause the other one was wide open, etc.

Beaver was never more obnoxious than he was when he caught the pass. Gilbert and Whitey wonder why he even came to school. Surprised the coach didn’t give him the day off.

Beaver- “Oh cut it out Gilbert and Whitey.” When they did the first run through someone like Jerry should have said that doesn’t sound right. Can I say “Cut it out you guys.”

Yeah, they did run-throughs, sitting around a table. He should have spoken up then. I can't imagine they wouldn't have have allowed that change to very unnatural dialogue.

He was a real jerk in that episode, as you said.

Hilarious episode! I thought it was funny when Fred called up Clarence at his party to yell at him about not getting the scholarship.

This bugs me. Later in this episode it appears the scholarship is in jeopardy when Fred calls Lumpy at the party and yells at him for flunking English. Ward goes behind the scenes and assists by calling a friend at State.

Yet when Wally doesn't get his scholarship, Ward does nothing. Seems strange he would help Lumpy but not his own son.

Seems strange he would help Lumpy but not his own son.

Well, maybe not. I can see a dad calling to find out what his kid needs to do to improve his grade and still have a chance at the scholarship. Is that all that Ward did?

I could not see a dad ethically trying to get his kid PAST the bad grade to get the scholarship. However, I could see him trying that for someone elses kid (maybe) so he could have been waiting for Fred to do the same for Wally.

I am not sure I understand my reasoning but it kind of sounds okay.

Right, Wally was flat out denied. Lumpy was accepted but later Fred got a letter about the problem which must have popped up on the latest transcript.

As far as Fred doing the same I really doubt that. He's a taker not a giver.

Waiting for Fred to do the same for Wally? No way, as stevea said Fred only thought about himself. Why he even blames Lumpy for disappointing him around all his friends. Friends? Did Fred have friends? I guess Wally was denied and I think he says he’s too light for college football. You would think he could have gotten a scholarship for good grades, swimming or track! I’m just surprised they accepted this refusal however the episode was about Lumpy.

I guess Wally was denied and I think he says he’s too light for college football.
Well that is why Ward did not do anything then. There is nothing TO do.

Didn't have a second string team for those didn't qualify the Varsity team?

I didn't remember that Wally said he was too light for college football.

They might have second string but maybe there wouldn't be a scholarship for that.

Really if they were looking at transcripts wouldn't they have seen that Lumpy wss left back twice?