Mary Ellen
applies to the School of Nursing at the University of Virginia, but she bombs
the entrance exam because she never took Algebra or Chemistry. Devastated, she
asks John-Boy for advice, who suggests she talk to Nora Taylor, the local
nurse, currently helping the Basham family, whose mother is gravely ill. In
exchange for tutelage, Mary Ellen helps Nora with her nursing by cleaning,
cooling and helping out with the household – and consoling the children when
their mother ultimately dies. Hamner tells us in the epilogue that Mary Ellen
does indeed get accepted to the college, and begins classes that September.
Each Walton
child gets ready to fly the coop, and now its Mary Ellen’s turn (although in
the world of TV, they still stay at home). Dreams of acting and dancing are now
officially just those, as nursing is what Mary Ellen (and the writers) have
eked out as her vocation, and identity – coming greatly in hand once World War
II gets underway.
Touching scenes
involving the Basham family, a terribly impoverished, uneducated mountain brood
that looks pretty real to me. Oldest Basham daughter Violet is played by
Shannon Terhune but I’ll be damned if she’s not a dead ringer for a young Helen
Hunt! You be the judge.
1 comment:
I thought the same thing, watching the rerun as I write this. Nose is different though. Thought maybe she had a nose job.
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