Sound of a Stone (1955)

[Music] small incidents magnified like a stone thrown into water until the cause of the disturbance and what it really means is hidden by the ripples of the waves touching everything even Shores for which the waves were never intended who knows what a stone carelessly thrown may bring what fortune what misfortune [Music] I like this time of the year [Music] seems to me a man could be pretty content to spend the rest of his life right in this spot contemplating nature be so happy when December got here the snow all up around junior what would you do without all the kids fine school teacher you'd make with nobody to teach always some little thing to spoil a perfect dream isn't there well let's head for home like he doesn't have to hire way before dark you ever had the feeling sometimes Ethel just isn't going to make it all their head don't you worry about it though long as she has through heels she'll get us there Henry George school teach come on Esther boy you got a home and responsibilities to face the citizens of Moreland await you [Music] and you say this teacher assigned the book for your English class to read well yes but Ernie what would you say if I told you that this book you're mr. Jordan gave you to read his on the list of subversive publications I got in the mail last week mr. Percy mr. Jordan wouldn't do a thing like that not on purpose how do you know you wouldn't what do you really know about this fellow Jordan he's a nice guy that's all dad and he's a good teacher he got you really interested in what he's teaching yeah Betty does I'm getting interested in what he's teaching myself mighty interested as a matter of fact and I believe there other people in this town that'll be interested too hello JD this is Ernest huge what do you know about this Henry Jordan at the high school you're right I am mad got a book here my son Ernie brought home deep torrent by James Brown well I'll tell you what about it it's subversive it's on the list this fella Jordan put the book on a recommended reading list he gave the kids in the English class looks to me like this read business is getting a foothold right in our own schools that's serious business I'll find out what I can about Jordan I had no idea this was going on [Music] Franklin JD Scott speaking ever hear anything about the teacher at the high school a Henry Jordan being a communist communist no don't believe I am where'd you get that story Arnie hewn the wyfold I don't check with you [Music] look here is this the same Henry Jordan two teachers my boy in Sunday school friend what's the pastor's number dr. McMillin who did you say this is what who was it I don't know some man wanted to talk about Henry Jordan but about him I couldn't get the pillar to say Henry must have done something because this man certainly was disturbed about Henry and the Sunday school how could he possibly have done anything in the sunday school that you wouldn't have known about I can't imagine I can't imagine what this is all about okay kids think it's about time to go well Ernie paper goes to press tomorrow how's your editorial coming okay I've got it done fine you know this Recreation Center idea of yours is good and I'm really proud of you for the stand you've taken on it say what's your hurry I've got something on my mind well can I help no I don't believe so [Music] Oh Chuck excuse me I don't know what and just called and I know it's late but we're not going to be able to make it tonight not make it couldn't you make it just for supper Helen's been sorry Henry we just can't make it okay [Music] Henry [Music] hi didn't Chuck's wife call you and why no they aren't coming but but everything's already I don't understand it's somebody sick or something I don't know Chuck just said they couldn't make it that's not like checking and honey I'm sorry that's what I say what do we care our Father blessed this food which we are about to eat as we give thanks to thee for thy many blessings and grant forgiveness as we forgive others and thy name amen and an odd day all around let's be the weather must be that's how Jane Barnes at the grocery this morning I thought sure she saw me but she acted as though she didn't maybe she didn't recognize you in your present condition what do you want to bet that's Chuck and Anne Chuck must have been kidding you [Music] [Music] Jordan we know your kind this town doesn't want you get out what is it what does it mean must have been one of the kids somebody's gotten riled up about a test grade or something would one of you students do something like this hey Mike you know how kids are I'll find out about this tomorrow oh Henry oh Henry dr. McMillin a little surprised to see you here dr. McMillin just dropped by for a minute and we both well we just want to talk to you sit down Henry I hardly know how to put this to you Henry because I'm not sure that I know what I'm talking about but well let me ask you a question are you in any kind of trouble trouble not that I know of what are you talking about we don't know that's the problem I had a phone call about you the other night the person who called didn't say anything directly but the implication was that you are mixed up in something and the thing is Henry I've had the same kind of calls about you as a member of our church and a Sunday school teacher wait you've known me all my life both of you what is that you think I've done we don't think you've done anything we're just trying to get to the bottom of this what is this all the things that happened yesterday and now this I got a note last night telling me to get out of town my friends look at me and don't even see me and now this what's going on we don't know what's going on Henry that's what we're trying to find out but how can we find out well are you planning to go to the PTA meeting tonight I don't know if I should I'm almost afraid to maybe you'd better plan to be there if whatever this is has anything to do with the school and that's what the person who called me implied then it's bound to be brought up at the PTA meeting tonight he's right I'll come by and pick you up we'll go together well sure I'll go if there's any chance of finding out what's going on around here I'll go just calendars [Music] as I understand it that's what a PTA a store and I see no reason why this subject shouldn't be discussed tonight we can't shut our eyes to this let's get it out in the open there's a real danger here we ought to know about it I've been trying to agree with mrs. Johnson I believe this business should be brought out in the open I'm not going to pull any punches but I know there's a real danger I'm going to point it out to you tonight there sits in this room right here among us a man who's trying to poison the minds of our children you've read about these people sneaking their way into our schools and even our churches but if you're like me you never thought you'd find one right in your own midst and I for one would like to know what mr. Henry Jordan has to say for himself mr. Hughes are you accusing Henry Jordan of subversion that's what I said may I ask on what ground it seems to me that any teacher who makes his classes read subversive literature it's obviously a subversive himself and I know what I'm talking about because my son Ernie brought one of these books home a book mr. Henry Jordan assigned for his classes to read mr. Hughes may I ask the title of this subversive book you say I assigned deep torrent by James Brown mr. Hughes and I could appreciate your concern but let me assure you that deep tort is not subversive literature it's long been recognized I expect you to deny Jordan that book is on a list of subversive publications and I have the list right here to prove it mr. Hughes I can make sure the only way that we can really get this follow Jordan is to take this business to the school aboard only thing I do I don't know what else you could have done they were completely out of hand [Music] it'll all work out Henry let's go home [Music] and that's why mr. Hughes accuses me of being a communist because of that book Henry and that's why these other things have been happening Chuck and Ann and and young Ernie and that note in the door oh because of that book all the years we've worked and saved in this town for our home now for the baby Henry for the sake of the baby you've got to tell them it was all a mistake that you didn't know anything about the book they'll understand if you'll just know Helen well why not it wouldn't work don't you see it would be like admitting I've done something wrong and I haven't you know that don't you Helen I haven't done anything wrong [Music] my only mistake was in not knowing about that list of mr. Hughes how could you know mr. Hughes knew about it I should have known about it too isn't there anything we can do I don't know looks like the damage has been done no matter what happens people are going to talk people are going to talk I wouldn't have believed that of Henry Jordan I've known him since he was a boy you just can't be sure who you can trust these days [Music] kind of sounds like I want to talk to me oh I sure feel sorry for that little wife of his with the baby coming and all he's sure wasn't thinking about her when he got mixed up in this and it wouldn't surprise me if the high school principal and that preacher wasn't in on this thing - they've been mighty quick to stand up for him yeah and of those two Rinna there's no telling how much of this doesn't been pushed off on our kids Ernie Hughes Boyd a good example my daughter said he'd Jordan spent pupil now that this editorial is any example I see plenty of this reading businesses rubbed off on him notice the choice of words here and this works slump that's a big city or a tea hill talk and take this idea that's dangled in front of people this big fancy recreation center somebody's gonna have to pay for that whose money yours and mine oh it's a whole game of something for nothing handouts and socialism that isn't sound like Ernie sounds more like Jordan was telling him what to say and I tell you there's nothing worse than corrupting the minds of our kid yeah no wonder you stand up for him Jordan's got you right under it thumb how can you follow that stuff Bernie what stuff I don't know what you're talking about you know what we mean this propaganda stuff you've been thrown around you're crazy I don't know anything about any propaganda what about your editorial what about my dad says it looks like it came right out of the Daily Worker who wrote this you're in Jordan where do you get this stuff Ernie this Recreation Center for juvenile delinquency a recreation hall isn't gonna do you any good what about this editorial [Music] [Applause] [Music] hello son hello what's the matter son nothing nobody Ernie alright son what's bawling it Ernie now I'm a communist euro what the kids say I'm a communist like you say mr. Jordan is why that's ridiculous who ever got an idea like that several Oh mr. Jordan and I get along all right I'm minute of the school paper and he's the advisor and I write an editorial and he approves it and that makes us both communist oh that's nonsense sorry they can't call you a communist not only more than that and what are they calling mr. Jordan one for well now that's different how is it different well though well he made his class read a subversive book didn't he that's what everybody's saying but they're saying that I wrote a subversive editorial that makes me mad honey that just makes me good and mad they're trying to mix you up in this dirty mess who are they to say that your editorial is subversive who are you to say that [Music] you read the book dead even read the book [Music] we're holding the school board meeting in here tonight because of the interest that's developed in this meeting may I ask you please to maintain some order that we can get this business over with now please let's carry out we can appreciate your desire for order but I think you can see that we're here tonight because we want action this creeping communism has gone far enough it's got to be killed right here tonight by the members of this board are afraid to take action I can assure you that this school board is prepared to take whatever action is necessary but we feel it is our duty to see this thing through and now please can we have order yeah yes dr. McMillan friends friends I can't tell you how deeply troubled I've been by the problem here you see I've known Henry Jordan since he was a boy I know his father and his mother and I know the kind of people they've always been there's members of my church I know Henry Jordan is a devout and dependable man of God and a man who is that can't possibly be what you've accused him of being my way of thinking he has been victimized excuse me dr. McMillin but maybe you've been victimized we've got proof Ernie Hughes can bear me out on that if you don't ferment me a moment dr. McMillin if there's a man here tonight guilty of miss doing I'm that man I charged Henry Jordan with subversion I did it in what I thought was good faith but I find out now that it was really prompted by ignorance I've read the book this deep taught by James Brown if I'd done it in the first place I could have saved mr. Jordan all of her I know I've caused him and all of her tits caused even my own son deep torrent was written over 60 years ago and has been in the school library since I was a boy it's a novel and as far as I'm concerned although I don't like the book it is not subversive that's the proof and the only proof we have against Henry Jordan and I hope that mr. Jordan and all of you can accept my deepest and most sincere apologies for the mess I've stirred up here blooney Oh Tanya would like a real boy at me [Music] time for you isn't it Henry certainly a contrast to what it was before I wonder if you know how we felt I think it's the most desolate feeling I've ever known when the people you live with all of a sudden turn against you well anyway it's all over now and I leave the town may have learned a lesson from what happened to you Henry people were beginning to get suspicious of each other you know it's a funny thing [Music] [Applause] Jordan you never fooled us get out while you can I guess it's going to be a bigger job than we thought small incidents magnify like a stone thrown into the water until the cause of the disturbance and what it really means is hidden by the rippling of the waves touching everything even Shores for which the waves were never intended who knows what a stone carelessly thrown may bring who knows you