Family Album USA - Episode 18 - Making a Difference

 

Family Album USA: Episode 18 - Making a Difference


Act I

In Act One, Ellen finds out that Carter Boswell is running for the school board. Ellen is upset because Boswell wants to cut the school cultural programs. Philip thinks Boswell will win the election. What will Ellen do?

Ellen	I don't believe it!
Philip	What's wrong?
Ellen	Carter Boswell!
Philip	Who's Carter Boswell?
Ellen	He's running for the school board. The election's next month.
Philip	What's wrong with wanting to be on the school board?
Ellen	Nothing. But he wants to cut the school budget!
Philip	Maybe it needs cutting.
Ellen	Cutting the budget is fine, but he wants to do it by cutting all the cultural programs. No music, no dance, no concert, no stage presentations.
Philip	Why does he want to do that?
Ellen	He says it's to save the taxpayers' money, and I think he believes that the taxpayers' will vote for him if he spends less on the cultural programs.
Philip	He's probably right. Lots of reople want their taxes used for new books and a new paint job in the schoolrooms.
Ellen	Maybe some of us would like to pay a little bit more and keep the cultural programs for our kids.
Philip	Well, I'm not sure, Ellen. I hear it from my patients. Lots of people are tired of highter taxes.
Ellen	I know, but if Boswell wins he'll be an important decisionmaker on the school board, and he doesn't know anything about our children's education.
Philip	Who's running against him?
Ellen	Nobody. That's the problem.
Philip	Well, it sounds to me like Carter Boswell is going to win this seat on the board.
Ellen	Oh, not if I can stop him!
Philip	And how are you going to stop him?
Ellen	I don't know. Maybe I'll run against him.
Philip	Well, You've got my vote.
Ellen	I'm serious, Philip. Why shouldn't I run?
Robbie	Why shouldn't you run for what, Mom?
Philip	Your mother is thinking of running for the school board.
Robbie	Hey, that's terrific, Mom!
Richard	Against Carter Boswell? Great!
Ellen	Well, if I run for office, the voters will have a clear choice. I stand for everything Boswell doesn't.
Marilyn	I think a lot of people will vote for you against Boswell, Ellen. I'll vote for you.
Ellen	Will you help me if I do run?
Marilyn	Absoutely.
Ellen	The trouble is it takes a little bit of money to run a campaign.
Philip	I think you can make a difference, Ellen. And in a short campaign you wouldn't need as much money. You know something, Ellen? Why not give the people of Riverdale a clear choice? I'm with you. You can make a difference.
Maxwell	Come in.
Ellen	Mr.Maxwell?
Maxwell	Yes, Charles Maxwell.
Ellen	My name is Ellen Stewart.
Maxwell	Hello.Please, sit down. You asked to see me. What would you like to see me about?
Ellen	I'd like your help.
Maxwell	Well, I'm editor of the most influential newpaper in Riverdale. Actually, it's the only newspaper. A lot of people would like my help. Do you have a story?
Ellen	I'm planning to run for the school board.
Maxwell	Against Carter Boswell?
Ellen	Yes.
Maxwell	Well, that is news.
Ellen	Will you announce that I'm running?
Maxwell	Sure. But I need some information.
Ellen	Of course.
Maxwell	Why will the voters vote for you against Boswell, Mrs.Stewart?
Ellen	Because I care.
Maxwell	"Vote for Ellen Stewart.She cares." Not a bad slogan. But what do you care about?
Ellen	Well, I care about the children of our town. I don't want hem to grow up without cultural programs in our school.
Maxwell	Do you have a plan?
Ellen	I want our children to learn more than reading, writing, and airthmetic. I want to keep the after-school programs-the music, the concerts.
Maxwell	It's not a bad plan. But who's going to pay for all of this?
Ellen	We are.The citizens of Riverdale, of course. I plan to get help from the businessmen and the corporations of Riverdale.
Maxwell	That's fair enough.Exactly what do you want from me, Mrs.Stewart?
Ellen	You don't know me. I can't expect you to take my side a against Boswell. But I do nee some publicity so that the people of our town know that I'm running for office and that I car about our children.
Maxwell	Fair enough. I certainly can print the news. And you are now making news.

Act II

In Act Two, everyone helps Ellen and her campaign. Grandpa gets the fliers printed. Marilyn and Richard prepared the envelopes. And Robbie and his friends tell people about Ellen's campaign. Later, the family sees Boswell in a commercial on television. What will Boswell say?

Grandpa	Here are the fliers, hot of the press!
Ellen	Looks good.Simple.
Marilyn	Right over there, Grandpa. You fold the fliers, Richard and I will put them into the envelopes.
Richard	We finished addressing over three hundred envolopes.
Grandpa	Need another box?
Ellen	Good work, gang.
Mike	Hi, this is Mike Johnson. Can I speak with Mr.Or Mrs.Anderson? Thanks.
Robbie	Mr.Nelson. Hi. This is Robbie Stewart.Did you know my mother is running for the school board?
Jimmy	Yes, Miss Kim, Ellen Stewart."She cares." Oh, see you at the polls.
Robbie	Certainly, I'll give her your best wishes, Mr.Nelson.
Mike	Hi, this is Mike Johnson. Can I speak with Mr.or Mrs.Burns? Thank you.
Ellen	We have done so much in such a short amount of time. I can't believe it! Wait till Philip come and sees our progress!
Robbie	Everyone saw story in the Riverdale newspaper.
Ellen	Mr. Maxwell was very kind to print my announcement.
Grandpa	It helps enormously. Everybody in riverdale reads his paper.
Richard	Your photo in it helped, too.
Ellen	Thanks to you, Richard, it's a godd picture.
Philip	Well, hi, all.
Richard&Robbie	Hi, Dad.
Ellen	Hello, darling.
Philip	May I...may I help?
Marilyn	Licking envelopes.
Grandpa	I fold the fliers.
Richard	We stuff them.
Philip	And I lick the envelopes.
Robbie	Hey, everybody, Mrs.Greenberg is on the phone. She says Carter Boswell is on the TV right now-doing a commercial.
Philip	What channel?
Robbie	Five.
Philip	Five?
Boswell	...and if you ask what I care about, I'll tell you. I care about the school buildings in need of paint. I care about more lockers for the teachers. I care about new fixtures in the hallways-not music or dancing or entertainment. I care about the practical things. If you do, vote for me, Carter Boswell.
Ellen	A lot of people will agree with him.
Philip	I told you.
Robbie	Too bad kids can't vote. It's our school, but we can't vote.
Richard	There are people in favor of the cultural programs, Mom.
Marilyn	There are, Ellen. Don't be upset by Boswell's commercial.
Philip	You have to go on television, too.
Ellen	Boswell's a powerful speaker.
Philip	You can be, too. Your ideas are good ones.
Ellen	I don't know. I'm not sure I'm up to it.

Act III

In Act Three, Richard and Robbie make a video tape of Ellen as she gives her campaign speech. And Richard figures out a way for people to see the video tape. Later, the family listens to the election news. Will Ellen win the election?

Ellen	...my slogan is "I care". I care about people, not things, Vote for me, Ellen Stewart. I care. How was it?
Richard	You were terrific!
Ellen	Can I see it?
Richard	Sure.
Ellen	Hello. My name is Ellen Stewart, and I'm running for the open seat on the school board. My slogan is"I care". What does the word care mean?...I care about people, not things. Vote for me, Ellen Stewart. I care.
Philip	I like it, but now what? How can we possibly get it on so Riverdale will see it and hear it?
Richard	Leave it to me.
Ellen	...I mean that when I say"I care". I care about people, not things. Vote for me, Ellen Stewart. I care.
Marilyn	What happened?
Richard	Mom is now on television in every appliance store in Riverdale, except Hamlin's.He's a Boswell voter.
Philip	That's a brilliant idea, Richard!
Grandpa	You inherited your father's brains.
Philip	We got our brains from you, Day.
Richard	And guess what? I called channel five. Their TV news is going to cover it."Housewife campaigns in appliance stores."And I'll bet some magazine will pick up the story, too.
Robbie	Mom, you're going to win! I know it!
Philip	Hold it, Robbie! Just cool down. Iknow we're getting some attention now, but in the end the voters will have to decide.
Grandpa	You're going to win. Trust me!
Reporter	In the hotly contested race for the one seat on the Riverdale School Board, Mrs.Ellen Stewart has taken an early lead.
Robbie	She's winning! Mom, you're winning!
Reporter	Now returning to other local news...Riverdale High School beat its rival Horace Mann in baseball today...
Ellen	It's too soon to know for certain.
Philip	You're ahead. That's better than being behind.
Reporter	More sports after this.
Ellen	It's not over yet. Let's just all calm down, and wait for the final results.
Grandpa	Ellen, why don't you go out to the backyard and get some fresh air?
Ellen	Thank you, Grandpa. I need some.
Ellen	What happened?
Philip	You came very close, Ellen.
Grandpa	You lost by only a hundred and twenty-one votes.
Ellen	I lost.
Richard	You tried, Mom.
Marilyn	You lost by a very small number of votes.
Robbie	Only one hundred and twenty-one votes! I'm sorry, Mom.
Ellen	There just wasn't enough time.
Philip	Look, you've made a very strong impressing on our community. You'll have another chance next election.
Philip	Hello.Oh, yes, yes, Mr.Maxwell.
Ellen	Hellom Mr.Maxwell.
Maxwell	How are you? I just called to tell you that you are very impressive. You lost the election, but you won the attention of the residets of Riverdale, of Boswell, and of me.
Ellen	Well, thank you, Mr. Maxwell. I appreciate your kind words. I needed that.
Maxwell	I hear Boswell wants to appoint you to a special arts committee. I'm sending over a reporter in the morning to interview you.
Ellen	You are?
Maxwell	I'm going to do an artcle on"Ellen Stewart-she cares."Maybe we'll all care now. Good-bye.
Ellen	Thank you-and good-bye.
Philip	What was that about?
Ellen	You were right, Philip. I did make a difference in town.
Robbie	And in this family.

More information about Family Album USA video series at Family Album USA.