(about Ms. Riddle) She's mean! She's really mean. And she makes me want to do something really, really bad.
S5 E1Here We Go Again
This isn't just about Miss Riddle and me. When I thought about it, I'm not just angry that I'm in her class again. I'm angry about a whole lot of stuff. Are we tired of being told to be quiet?
SStudents
Yeah!
Are we tired of being made to feel stupid when we don't know something?
SStudents
Yeah!
Are we tired of not being able to ask questions?
SStudents
Yeah!
We're tired of having no choices and having grown-ups making bad choices for us.
SStudents
Yeah!
We are tired of eating bad school food. Ketchup as a vegetable? I don't think so.
SStudents
Yeah!
And if we have to learn about the stuff that doesn't interest us, why can't we also learn about the stuff that does interest us? Is it too much work to give us each individual assignments if we're willing to do them?
SStudents
Yeah!
And can't the adults do something about school safety? Aren't you scared that you're gonna get shot, or that someone else is gonna get shot? I am. There are a lot of angry kids around here. Why can't someone help them do something with their anger? I can tell you that it helps just to talk. And why can't someone help the kids who come to school hungry? It's not their fault their parents can't feed them. And why can't someone help the kids who get hit every night when they go home? Can't someone protect them? Won't someone help us? I don't just need a new teacher. We need a revolution!
SStudents
Yeah!!! (they all stand up) Ruthie! Ruthie! Ruthie!
Hello? Is anyone listening to me? I need a car!
Hello! Earn money and buy one.
You guys bought Matt a car. Why can't you buy me a car?
Matt was going to college. You, on the other hand, are not going to college. You are working, so you can buy your own car. How much money have you saved this summer?
Saved? On what I make? Please. You guys are forcing me to buy on credit, and you can stop talking about college, because I'm not going to college until I figure out what I'm going to college for.
Well, maybe so you can earn a living and someday even have your own house, and your own car.
Well, maybe I don't want to have my own house. You don't own this home; this is the Church's home.
Yes, but this house is a benefit of my job, which I earned after five years of college and we do have a car. Two cars. Well, three if you count the one we bought for Matt, who's in college.
Annie (to Eric): I've signed up for school today.
What school?
College, Crawford. I want to get my teaching credentials in early childhood education.
Now? You do know that we have 7 kids now.
We have the twins and Ruthie, but Simon starts high school tomorrow, Lucy graduates high school this year, Mary's out of high school and working and Matt is out on his own.
Eric (to Annie): Matt is hardly out on his own. He sleeps out on his own. He's still a kid.
Oh stop it. He and Heather are practically married.
No they're not. That's just what we say to each other whenever we think those two might be shacking up. And Mary is going to college, she's going to go to college eventually... I hope, as soon as she figures out that she doesn't enjoy minimum wage jobs.
Unfortunately, I think Mary is quite happy with her stint in the world of minimum wage.
Well I'm not happy with it. With my luck she'll probably decide to go to college when Lucy decides to go and with Matt's we'll have 3 tuitions to pay, oh plus yours. And by the way, who says that Lucy won't have the kind of senior year that Mary had. And Simon is starting high school. Do you remember what it was like when Matt started high school? High school boys are, well they're high school boys. And we shouldn't forget Ruthie, who is well on her way to being more difficult than all the other kids rolled into one. Oh and bonus, the twins are entering the terrible twos. They are not entering, they are there.
So what are you saying? That the family is so dangerous that I can't take 1 or 2 hours away from them to take one course? I'm going back to school!
When were you going to tell me this, as you were backing out of the driveway tomorrow morning?
No, I planned to tell you just when I told you.
(sarcastically) Well, thank you, Mrs. Camden!
Mary (to Eric): Yes, I'm starting a new job today.
You've had a new job every week this summer.
That's not true. I was a day camp counselor for almost three weeks.
(sarcastically) Oh, how could I forget three whole weeks?
You know, just because you're mad at Mom doesn't mean you have to take it out on me.
I'm not angry-the word is angry-at your mom, and I'm not taking it out on anyone.
Eric (to Mary): I'm angry at you for just giving up on college. And now, unfortunately, I'm even angrier at you because you bought a car, and that particular car. Did you know that I worked my way through college, and I've worked for 20 years, and a sports car is my dream, and I can't afford one?
Yes, I know that, but can I help it if I can afford it?
(laughs to himself, counts to 10 to collect himself) You bought it, you pay for it. I'm gonna let you be responsible for you. And if you ever change your mind and decide you don't like working an endless string of jobs that have absolutely no meaning for you, then you're still going to have to pay for the car.
I know. Maybe I can even sell it.
Not for what you paid for it.
Well, great. If I can make money off of it, I'll put it toward my college tuition.
AAAAAAAAAAAAH!
S5 E2Help
PProfessor
[to Matt's college class] Here's the good news. This was just a practice test to help you prepare for the midterm. It doesn't count. Here's the bad news. Half of you didn't pass. The other half barely passed. Oh, here's some more bad news. The midterm is in two weeks, so if you don't know the material by now, when are you going to learn it? What does this all mean? For those of you who are taking organic chemistry as a requirement for pre-med, you may want to double major in pre-law, because if you don't understand chemistry, you're going to be a doctor who's gonna need a lawyer. Just wanting to be a doctor isn't good enough. You have to study hard, you have to work hard, and you have to get through this class. Class is dismissed. For some of you, I think permanently!
I'm gonna study. I just couldn't this afternoon because every time I looked up from my book, I noticed how dirty the kitchen was.
JJohn
Well, an unclean kitchen never bothered you before.
Well, it did today, and you know, I hate to mention it, but if you had cleaned your breakfast dishes from this morning, I wouldn't have wasted my entire afternoon taking care of that little chore for you.
JJohn
[stunned] Are you trying to blame me for you not studying? So you failed your organic chemistry pre-test because of Heather, and you didn't study this afternoon because I didn't do the dishes, and you're not studying now because your mom didn't do your laundry? (Matt nods) I'm just curious. Now, if you don't pass your chemistry midterm and get kicked out of pre-med, who are you gonna blame? Me? Heather? Your mom? The Colonel? The man on the moon? Problems in the Middle East? Global warming? What?
I don't know what you're so upset about. I'm gonna do fine on my midterm.
JJohn
But if you don't, it won't be your fault, right?
Look, you don't understand.
JJohn
No, I think that you don't understand organic chemistry, among other things, and you're too pigheaded to admit it, and instead of just asking for help or saying "I need help," you're blaming everyone and everything, as long as it doesn't allow you to blame yourself.
You are totally out of line.
JJohn
I don't think I am.
Do you get good grades?
JJohn
[smiles proudly] Yes, I do.
And? [pauses, doesn't know what to say] That's because I do everything around here, and you do nothing! [storms out]
Actually, your principal called this morning, and you're not in any trouble. He thinks he may have found a way to get you out of Miss Riddle's class.
Thank God!
What did you say?
Thank God. You should thank God. I talked to God and told him how unhappy I was at school, and asked Him to help.
You prayed to get out of Miss Riddle's class?
If you don't ask, you don't get. I just thought you and Mom could use some help.
[to her parents as they are visiting Eleanor Roosevelt School] They have horses! Horses!
MMrs. McCool
The school offers both English and western style instruction.
And there's no homework!
MMrs. McCool
We feel the children work hard during the day. At night, they should be free to relax and be kids. After all, we do have them seven hours a day. Of course, if Ruthie would like to spend time at home studying any subject beyond the core curriculum, we'll set up an individual program for her.
I may want to do that, considering I don't have to be at school until TEN!
MMrs. McCool
[laughs] We have a flexible schedule. Students can start as late as ten, but then they go until five. Not every student does his or her best work early in the morning. Plus, we have a 14 to 1 student ratio and a whole list of after-school trips and projects. Last year, we took a group of students to the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. and met the President. I think that Ruthie would make a wonderful addition to our school. If you have any questions, please call.
EAEric and Annie
Thank you. [they shake her hand]
MMrs. McCool
Bye, Ruthie. [leaves]
Boy, when God answers a prayer, he answers a prayer!
Does that mean you want to go to school here?
Oh, yeah!
If you got into that school, you should be honored. You should go.
No. I will not go! You cannot make me! I'm just going to run away.
If you run away, you'll still have to make all new friends.
No I won't. My friend Sarah will come with me and we'll join the circus, and when we're old enough we'll marry clowns!
You have put way too much thought into this whole thing.
Why has God forsaken me? WHY?
[about Mary] Look, Annie and I aren't happy that she's not going to college, but she's working. She's earning a living, paying her bills.
Who let her buy the car?
No one let her. She just went out and bought it. And as much as I think she shouldn't have, that car is a responsibility that she can't run away from. She has to work hard and and keep her job because she has to pay for that car.
Son, to win a war you've got to fight. You got to get in there and get your hands dirty and make something happen, and you have to have a battle plan. What's your battle plan?
This isn't a war.
Oh, it's a war, all right. And a stake is Mary's future.
As much as we would like to force Mary into doing what we know is best for her, we can't. She's an adult. She has to do this on her own.
And what if she doesn't?
She will.
All right. You need money? I can help you. I have a friend who owns a clothing goods store and could use your help. It doesn't sound like much, but there's room for growth. And if you do decide to go to college, they will work around your schedule.
So you'll talk to a friend who can get me a job, but you won't lend me the money yourself?
Right.
I don't want to work at a clothing goods store.
Ah. I see. So you're going to help me, but only if I do exactly what you, Mom and Dad want me to do.
Well, I'm not just going to give you money.
You're not giving it to me! It's a loan!
No.
Mary, if you ever change your mind and need help, you let me know.
I'm not going to change my mind. I don't need help, I need money. So thank you for nothing!
These quotes come from Wikiquote's 7th Heaven pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.