S3 E8 "Beaver's Tree". Near the episode's end. Beaver finishes reciting "The Heart of a Tree" by Henry Cuyler Bunner. Jerry Mathers isn't playing a dopey, gullible kid. We see the real bright, articulate Jerry Mathers being himself.

Yep, that could be the actor's best scene in the series. And it made up for the other bad recitations in that episode.

His few longer scenes with June are quite good, too.

S6 E24 Lumpy's Scholarship about 9:00. Check-out Jerry Mathers dancing freestyle. That wasn't dopey Beaver Cleaver, but confident Jerry Mathers. Looks light on his feet with some definite talent. Frank Bank was pretty good too. Making Sally (Dana Dillaway) deadpan was brilliant. Also, then having her tap-in to dance with Lumpy was very funny cute. A great scene.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=lumpys+scholarship&view=detail&mid=C1148FEA6C3B95D10929C1148FEA6C3B95D10929&FORM=VRRTAP

I always think about the FACT that when Jerry Mathers turned 16 he went out and bought a NEW 1964 Pontiac GTO

No Dummy Move There !

Gerald Patrick Mathers (born June 2, 1948)

What's not generally known is that Ward took it away LOL