Ep 18. It's the Principle of the Thing

It's the Principle of the Thing" is the 18th episode of the first season of The Donna Reed Show, which originally aired on February 8, 1959. The episode begins with Donna talking to Alex about how she volunteered to help out at Jeff's school and got assigned to be the chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association's committee for the new playground. She remarks about how excited Jeff and his friends are to finally have a playground of their own, and how everyone is looking forward to the ribbon-cutting ceremony that will be held soon.

However, Donna soon realizes that the committee has run into a big problem. Mr. Stone, the tough-minded principal of the school, refuses to allow the playground to be built on school property, citing concerns about liability and safety issues. Despite Donna's attempts to reason with him, Mr. Stone remains stubborn and uncompromising. When Donna tells Alex about the situation, he suggests that Donna invite Mr. Stone to dinner and try to charm him into changing his mind. Donna agrees, and soon sets about preparing a elegant dinner party for Mr. Stone and his wife.

The dinner party proves to be a disaster, as Mr. Stone remains cold and distant throughout the evening. He is unimpressed by Donna's appeals to his sense of community and civic duty, and seems only interested in finishing his meal and leaving as soon as possible. Even Donna's attempts to flatter Mrs. Stone and engage her in conversation fall flat, as the woman proves to be just as unfriendly and uncommunicative as her husband.

After the Stone's depart, Donna is left feeling frustrated and defeated. However, Alex suggests that they try to change Mr. Stone's mind by appealing to his sense of pride and competitiveness. He suggests that they hold a "playground-off" competition between Jeff's school and a rival school, and invite Mr. Stone to serve as one of the judges. Donna loves this idea, and soon sets about getting everything organized.

The playground-off proves to be a huge success, with Jeff's school emerging as the clear winner. Donna and Alex have arranged for the kids to perform a song and dance number celebrating the new playground, and Mr. Stone is visibly moved by the performance. In the end, Mr. Stone agrees to allow the playground to be built on school property, and even contributes some of his own money to the project.

The episode ends with Donna and Alex watching the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new playground, and feeling proud of what they have accomplished. Through persistence, ingenuity, and a little bit of competitiveness, they were able to overcome the stubbornness of a school principal and provide a valuable resource to the community. It's a heartwarming and inspiring story that showcases the best of Donna's qualities as a loving wife, mother, and community volunteer.