Episode
Little House on the Prairie: Whatever Happened to the Class of '56?
Overview
During a visit to a farmer's convention in Milwaukee, Charles and Caroline meet up with old school mates. Charles learns that larger farmers are trying to put his small farming friends out of business and urges them to stand up for their profession. Meanwhile, Caroline becomes envious about the financial fortunes of their one-time friends, but she soon learns there's more to their success stories than meets the eyes.
Details
- Series
- Little House on the Prairie
- Season
- Season 6
- Episode
- Episode 15
- Air date
- 1980-01-13
- Runtime
- 49 min
Episode context
Whatever Happened to the Class of '56? is Episode 15 in Season 6 of Little House on the Prairie. It aired on 1980-01-13. The runtime is 49 min.
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Episode 14: The Werewolf of Walnut Grove
School bully Bart begins menacing his classmates, especially Albert. Tired of the constant harassment, Albert creates a paper maché werewolf mask to terrorize Bart into ceasing his bullying behavior. It works, until Carrie opens her mouth! It takes a joint effort by all of Bart's classmates to make him stop bullying.
Episode 16: Darkness is My Friend
On a dark and stormy night, Laura and Mary are staying alone at the School For the Blind when they are taken hostage by a trio of escaped convicts. One of the criminals is badly injured, and his cohorts demand to see a doctor. Laura is sent to get Dr. Baker, warned that the consequences will be deadly if she tries any tricks. However, a terrified Laura tells her Pa what is happening. Charles shows up posing as Dr. Baker, but when the real Dr. Baker arrives, Charles is forced to be resourceful to disarm the crooks.
More episodes from this season
Episode 13: The Angry Heart
A 17-year-old budding criminal named Tod Dortmunder is sent to Walnut Grove to live with his grandparents after his mother loses patience with his ill-tempered behavior. His behavior becomes more violent, and when he is caught stealing Charles' watch, the grandparents (in part because they fear for their safety) turn to Charles for help. Charles proves to be the role model Tod never had, and efforts to rehabilitate the lad seem to be working. But even Charles is unaware of some dark secrets from Tod's childhood that don't surface until he destroys the present he gave him.
Episode 17: Silent Promises
Laura takes a job tutoring a deaf boy named Daniel, teaching him how to communicate through sign language. Daniel makes more than an academic breakthrough - he develops a huge crush on Laura! Laura doesn't know quite what to do, and makes some mistakes along the way in dealing with her situation.
Episode 12: Crossed Connections
The telephone comes to Walnut Grove, and Mrs. Olesen is hired as the switchboard operator. She takes advantage of her responsibilities to engage in her favorite pastime: gathering gossip. It will have a very damaging effect on the Garveys' marriage when she learns about Alice's hidden past.
Episode 18: May We Make Them Proud
Albert experiments with smoking in the basement of the School For the Blind and, when shooed out of the basement, hides the still-lit pipe in some cloths. It ignites and results in a late-night fire that kills Alice Garvey and Mary's baby son. As a result, several people struggle with the consequences: Albert becomes withdrawn when he learns his careless actions may have caused the fire, Mary in deep shock and Jonathan Garvey in an alcohol-induced state of denial. Albert, Mary and Jonathan - all deeply impacted by the fire at the school - continue to deal with their emotions. Charles helps Jonathan realize that his alcoholism has taken a toll on his son, Andy, while Mary snaps out of her shock when she hears the melody of the music box Albert had purchased for her as a gift. Albert panics when he finally understands his carelessness caused the fire that killed Mary's baby and best friend's mother. He runs away, leading Charles and a reformed Jonathan to frantically search for the lad.
Episode 11: Author! Author!
During a trip to Walnut Grove, Caroline's mother passes away. Her father is very grief-stricken, until son-in-law Charles - impressed with his stories about growing up in the Little House in the Big Woods - suggests he publish an autobiography.
Episode 19: Wilder And Wilder
Almanzo's indolent brother, Perley, comes to town. Knowing that Almanzo's interest in a much younger Laura has deepened, Charles is convinced that Perley is the better man for his "Half Pint." However, those sentiments quickly change when Perley injures one of Almanzo's horses. Two things become clear to Charles: Perley is a troublemaker, and Almanzo is a responsible young man (especially when he nurses the horse back to health).
Episode 10: The Faith Healer
Mrs. Oleson invites a charismatic preacher, the Rev. James Danforth, to preach in Walnut Grove. He immediately woos parishioners away from Rev. Alden's congregation with his fiery sermons and "faith healing." But nobody is aware he is a charlatan, and it will soon have tragic results.
Episode 20: Second Spring
Nels finally loses patience with his henpecked family life and begins a mobile merchant business. During one of his stops, he meets a much younger woman whom is the exact opposite of his own wife. In the process, Nels struggles with temptation and going astray as the relationship blossoms.
Episode 9: The King is Dead
Aging professional wrestler Milo Stavroupolis comes to nearby Mankato to "fight" the locals. Stavroupolis' promoter, the shrewd Jimmy Hart, convinces Jonathan Garvey to fight the old man ... unaware that the fight was "fixed." But there's even more heartbreak ahead, as Stavroupolis is suffering emotionally (and physically) after years of fighting; his beloved wife, Anna (herself desperately ill) has begged him to retire. The old man is convinced by Jonathan to substitute for him in the upcoming championship
Episode 21: Sweet Sixteen
The school district's superintendent comes to Walnut Grove, looking for someone who can replace a teacher who has fallen and broken her leg. Eliza Jane recommends Laura. Almanzo thinks he has no chance of Laura falling in love with him.