Ep 15. School Days

Oliver Wendell Douglas is a successful lawyer who gave up his career in New York and moved to a country farm in Hootervile with his socialite wife, Lisa. In season 2, episode 15, titled School Days, the focus is on their son, Oliver Jr, who is ready to start school in Hooterville.

As they head to the one-room schoolhouse, which also doubles as the general store and the post office, Oliver and Lisa are apprehensive about what kind of education their son will receive. They soon meet the schoolteacher, Miss Beehive, and find out that she is a bit unconventional in her teaching methods.

Miss Beehive covers all subjects in one day, jumping from math to spelling to history, with no particular order. She also involves the students in various chores around the school, such as ringing the bell for recess and feeding the class pet, a pig named Arnold Ziffel.

Oliver Jr is initially bewildered by the teaching style, but soon warms up to Miss Beehive and makes new friends with his classmates, including Arnold Ziffel, who he becomes particularly fond of. Lisa, on the other hand, is not pleased with Miss Beehive's methods and has a heated discussion with her about the importance of a structured curriculum.

In the end, Lisa sees the value in Miss Beehive's approach when Oliver Jr surprises them with his newfound enthusiasm for learning and his ability to recite the Gettysburg Address. They realize that perhaps a non-traditional education can be just as effective as a traditional one.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, the hired hand, Eb, is struggling with his math homework. Oliver tries to help him, but Eb's mind is elsewhere as he has fallen for a girl from school. He asks Oliver for advice on how to impress her and ultimately decides to serenade her with a song he wrote himself.

The episode ends with the whole cast gathering for a school play, where Oliver Jr and his classmates perform a rendition of Paul Revere's Ride. The play is a success, and everyone is proud of the students' hard work.

Overall, Green Acres season 2 episode 15 is a heartwarming episode that showcases the value of unconventional teaching methods and the importance of community in a small town.