 inspiring Claudette Colbert in Remember the Day on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company. This is the story of a gentle woman, a school teacher, and her faith in a little boy who, under her wise and understanding guidance, grew to be a great man. Since this inspiring story is typical of those who in each generation mold the future of the America we are fighting for, it is appropriate to bring to you today a special radio adaptation in which that charming screen player, Claudette Colbert, plays the part of the beloved school teacher in Remember the Day on the Cavalcade of America. Place the lobby of a hotel in Washington, D.C., now swarming with reporters and news photographers for tonight's celebrities are abroad. Into the midst of this important puzzle comes an attractive middle-aged woman. She looks about here in half humorous bewilderment. Calling Senator Green, Captain Fairchild, calling Senator... Well, if it isn't... Bill Tower, how nice to see you. You're cheaper. I didn't think you'd remember me. Oh, I always remember my boys, Bill. You know, that's why I'm here. I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of one of my older boys, Admiral Dewey Roberts. Admiral Roberts? Was he one of your boys? Yes, Bill, 25 years ago. I'll tell you what. You sit right here facing the elevators. You'll have to come out of one of them. Thank you, Bill. I'll be back soon. Thank you. Calling Senator Green, Captain Fairchild. I wonder if you'll remember. 25 years ago in that little school back in Indiana. I can't remember. All right, children, let's settle down and finish our history lesson. Kate, can you tell us where the next important engagement took place in the War of 1812? No, ma'am. My brother Steve took my history book. Now, quiet. Dewey, can you tell us? Can you tell us? Dewey Roberts. Yes, ma'am? What were you reading, Dewey? My book. Your history book? Oh, no, ma'am. The book by Christy Mattison and how to pitch. Oh, I see. Oh, well, Steve, you'd better tell us. Where did the next engagement take place? On September 7th, 1813. Commander Perry led nine ships in his parcel. There's a break, not a bar. Hey, Mark, what difference does it make if it's just an old signboard? Oh, a bridge that's a square ring. The box's got three masks. Dewey, be quiet. I always know it all. That will do, Dewey. You'll stay after school and write 250, I beg your pardon, on the blackboard. Oh, that is unfair. Now, children, now, I have a pleasant surprise for you. Our principal, Mr. Steele, has given me permission to take you all to the matinee of Midsummer Night's Dream on Saturday. Saturday? Yes, Dewey. The Saturdays are going game with Crossville. Mr. Hopkins has it all arranged. Who's Mr. Hopkins? He's our new manual training instructor. Oh, well, I'm sure he'll postpone the game. Oh. Now, now, let's all be quiet, please. What did you say, Dewey? Nothing. That's not true. Very well, after school, you will stay and write, I beg your pardon, on the blackboard, 500 times. Now, who's the monitor? Mel? Yes? I'm Dan Hopkins, one of your associates. Oh, yes, how do you do? Fine. Uh, mind-stepping outside? You said it. About Saturday, it seems we've got our signals made. I know, I'm sorry. Why not postpone the matinee? The tickets are arranged for. We're in the position of the irresistible force and the immovable arms. I don't know how immovable you are, Mr. Hopkins, but I'm afraid I'll have to be irresistible. You are? Well, here comes our principal. We'll let him settle. Oh, hello, Mr. Steele. Mr. Hopkins? Mr. Trinnell will be taking a grade at the theater on Saturday. But I need some of her boys. Let's manage without them. But, Mr. Steele... Don't argue, Mr. Hopkins. Good morning. Well, it looks like you won. I'm sorry. Oh, forget it. Well, now we're friends, aren't we? Of course we are. Goodbye. All right, Dewey. You may go now. Dewey, why did you lose your temper with Steve? Oh, he made me sure. Saying a bark in a rig's the same. Oh, the dumbbell. Oh, you were wrong, too, you know. What you described was a barking team. A bark has two square rigged mats. You see, something like this. You know about chips. I was brought in New Bedford. My grandfather sailed his own ship around the horn. I've got all his whole charts. Maybe one day you'd like to see them, hmm? What I? Holy cat! You know, I had you all wrong, Mr. Nell. Ah, perhaps we had each other wrong. You're not so much like a teacher. Thank you. Well, I mean, I... I like to talk to you. I like to talk to you, too. And here, I want you to be a credit to me when you go to prep school in the fall. Well, I guess I'm not going to that school. But your mother said you'd already been enrolled there. Well, anyway, I don't want to go. You know, Mr. Nell, I'm going to see some day. I was named for Admiral Dewey. There's a picture of him in our house. Much bigger than that one of Lincoln there. Oh, poor Mr. Lincoln's hanging crooked again, isn't he? Well, I'll fix it, Miss Diffie. Now, be careful. Oh! Oh! Dewey, are you hurt? Oh, you poor darling. Oh, I'm all right. No, it was my fault for letting you stay from the picture. I'm dreadfully sorry. Oh, oh! Here, can we put your arm around my shoulder? That's it. Now, now you sit here while I get... Yes, dear. But don't spill wrong hugs. I don't know what Mr. Nell will say, though. He understands ships. We'll go to see his mom. Oh! Mr. Hopkins, come in. Come in. Thanks. I'll just stop there for a second. Hi, old timer. How's the name? Oh, coming along fine. Let me see. How long has it been? Nearly, uh, this week. Some of the station's got some island lookin' great. All right. It's tough all right. Well, are you going, Mr. Hopkins? No, I haven't decided yet. Sort of depends. Well, bye, son. Oh, thank you. Not just yet. Sorry, important engagement. Oh, that'll be Mr. Nell. Oh, it is? She's a... She's all right, don't you think? Sort of different. Gosh, she's... well, uh... Yeah, I know what you mean. How do you do, Mrs. Roberts? I want to thank you again, Mr. Nell, for two rings, Dewey, and your spare time. Oh, I loved it. But you still refuse to go to boarding school. It'll be awesome. Hello, Mr. Nell. Hello, Mr. Hopkins. Excuse me, folks. I'll be right back in the oven. Well, Dewey, I came to say goodbye. Oh, you're going away? Where do you plan to spend the vacation, Mr. Nell? At Willow Springs with the other women teachers. Oh, boy. Now, madly exciting. Well, I'm off. Have a good summer. Thank you. Bye, Mr. Nell. Bye, kids. Goodbye. Bye. Neary, may I have a look at your boat? Oh, sure. I made it myself. Oh, it's beautiful, Dewey. The detail's perfect. What's it called? I hope you don't think I'm fresh. I didn't mean to be honest. Oh, it's the nicest thing anybody ever did to name a ship after me. I'm very proud. Fresh. There's nothing like ships, is there? Someday, perhaps you'll be a great sailor, like Admiral Dewey. Who do you think I could? Oh, of course I do, if you want too badly enough. You know, Dewey, you and I are pretty lucky people. We can do just what we want, because we live in America where people are always ready to defend their freedom. I never met anybody like you before. Oh, never. You're very sweet. Sweet? Oh, no, I'm sorry. I know when you come back you won't be my teacher anymore, but I'll be able to see you sometimes, won't I? Of course. Well, I must go now. Oh, must you? Gee, Mr. Mel, you're beautiful. But you... Oh, gosh, I'm sorry. Oh, that was a very pretty compliment, Dewey. Thank you. Goodbye. Take care of yourself. Goodbye. Hello. Oh, hello, Dan. I thought I'd make one more try. I've decided to go with the others, Dan. I promised you. It'll be deadly. You'll go crazy. Listen, Nora, there's three glorious months of summer ahead with swimming and sailing and... Oh, how can I go with you? Easy. Buy a ticket to the same place. No, Dan. I've made up my mind. And I've made up my mind, too. The mountain won't come to Mohammed. Mohammed will go to the mountains. Well, young fella, have a good summer. Oh, not bad. Did you have a nice vacation, Mr. Mel? Wonderful, Mr. Hopkins. Thank you, Mr. Mel. I love you. Oh, good. Darling, we're going to be for a bit. Here, why? Mr. Steele won't see me. You won't move. No, not a step. I'll be right back. Good morning, Mr. Steele. You wanted to see me? Yes. Certain matters come to my attention. A very delicate matter. Yes? I'm not attempting to judge your moral conduct, but I am determined to avoid a scandal. I'm afraid I don't understand. You do it with the parents of the children at this school. Should they learn that you and Miss Trinel had spent the entire summer together? Just what are you insinuating? That is an example to you with Mr. Hopkins. You are unsatisfactory. I must therefore ask for your immediate resignation. That's all. Now just a minute, Mr. Steele. We'll not wait a second, Mr. Hopkins. You will leave today as to Miss Trinel. Listen, Mr. Steele. Miss Trinel is entirely blameless. I deliberately went where I knew she was. Glad to hear that. If I unwittingly broke one of your rules, I should be the one to suffer. Quite so. You agree. And if I resign, Miss Trinel needn't be dragged into it. Possibly not. I'd like your assurance on that. Very well. You have my assurance. I'll depend on it. Good day. What did Mr. Steele want? Well, he had a message for me. A telegram from my brother. He has an opening for me in Chicago. A job, you mean? Uh-huh. Will you quit school and marry me right this minute? Dan, are you insane? Only about you. Dan, there's something wrong. You're keeping something from me. Where are you going? Today. Today? The telegram said to report it once. Oh. It's only for a little while. Then we'll be together again. I'll be back at Christmas and we'll be married. Dan, you're quite sure you're doing the right thing? Believe me, darling, it's got to be this way. Well, I'll see you again before you go. No. Oh, no. Dan, I still can't seem to realize... Dan, I love you so. And I love you. Goodbye, darling. Till Christmas. Till Christmas. You are listening to Claudette Colbert in Remember the Day on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As the curtain rises again, it is Christmas Eve at Nora's boarding house. The doorbell rings and she hurries to answer it. Dan! Hello, teacher. Glad to see me. Oh, why are you in uniform? Oh, oh, yes, the uniform. Dan. Lieutenant Hopkins of the Royal Canadian Engineer. Oh, but why? You look pretty snappy, don't I? I knew it couldn't last. I knew it. When did you... A couple of weeks ago. Put your job. Nor did. There's no job more important than this one. I wish you'd told me. Oh, darling, I missed you so. I knew it was too good to be true. Nora, sweet, have you no confidence in me? With me in it, this war will be over by 1917. How long can you stay? I've got two whole weeks before I report. Two weeks? Dan, will you marry me now? Right away. Lazy Nora, she won't get up. Won't get up. Won't get up. How long has it been married? A week. I don't believe it. Well, then it's new year's Eve. That's right. Tomorrow will be 1917. You know what? Certainly. What? I'm hungry. Oh, that is what. Well, what is? I've come to the conclusion that we're two of the nicest people I ever knew. Oh, you may be. I'm not. What are you? I'm hungry. And you're beautiful. Oh, no, no, darling. That's just your masculine ego. Though you think your wife has to be beautiful because you've picked her. No, if anyone's beautiful in our family, it's you. You think so? You may be right at that. You're cute, too. Go on. No, you're the most conceited. Just for that. Oh, Dad. Dad, why can't we stay here forever? Being a soldier. Now, you see why I quit school? I knew all the time it was not a con of any girls. It was, too. We just didn't know who the girl was, that's all. Well, who was it then? Miss Chanel, of course. No, Liar. Why everybody knows she's stuck on her. Oh, you're crazy. She wasn't any more much around them. There's nothing so fierce about having a crush on a fella. Most all women get crushes. Come on, Cecilia. Not her. She's different. She's different from anybody. Hello, darling. I thought I might catch you alone for a minute. Pretty hard to find any privacy around me. Oh, I know. Why not tell Mrs. Steele? Ask him to give you a leave of absence till I go. I can't, then. Married women teaches a bard. I can't risk losing my job now. No, of course you can. But do you realize I haven't seen you for two hours? Oh, it seemed longer. I'd almost forgotten how beautiful you are. You're hopeless. I'm in love. I'm so much in love with you that I can't see, Steele. Only four more days. Every minute more precious. Oh, wait a minute, Dad. I hear somebody. There is nobody there. Well, that's against the rules, too. You know, kissing an eighth grade teacher in the classroom with the door open. Yes, Dewey? Mama, want to go away. Go away? What do you mean, Dewey? I want to go to Johnstown to prep school. But Dewey? Please, Mama, I've got to. I've got to go. I just heard you're going to Johnstown after all. Sure. I'm leaving tonight. Well, weren't you coming to say goodbye to me? No. I thought we were fans. What's happened, Dewey? Well, it's all right if you don't want to tell me. Oh, great, guns. Don't be nice to me. Go ahead and laugh at me. I'm not laughing, Dewey, but I don't understand. Come on. Tell me what's hurt you, please. Well, I wanted to talk to you about something special. So I went to your classroom. The door was open, and I saw you and Mr.... I see. I wonder what I should tell you. There's so much in so little time. You don't have to tell me anything. I'd like you to understand, Dewey. You're only 12. How can I make you see? You'll be 13 soon. Dewey, there's your boat on the floor. Aren't you taking it with you? No. Too with all that kid stuff. That's a fine way for a master to talk about his own craft. Is that the attitude you're going to take when you're captain of your own ship? Captain of anything. Yes, you will. Oh, I don't know what I'm going to do now. It doesn't matter. But you will know, Dewey, and you'll find out something else. What you're going through now is a part of growing up, the part of learning. I know how it hurts to find out that the people one loves are not stars, but human beings made of flesh and blood, and when they disappoint you, you mustn't let it throw you off your course. Listen, Dewey, I'll tell you a teacher's secret. Each year, there's someone who stands out in the class, someone who makes teaching worthwhile, whom she counts on and loves, and throw that child with her own. You're one of those few, Dewey. You mustn't let me down. Stick to your course, sailor, and don't let anybody stop you. I'll try. Honest I will, Mr. Now. And you'll remember me a little, won't you? When you're a big man in our Navy. I will, Mr. Now, always. I'm glad you came. So am I. We won't say goodbye, hm? Just good luck and fair wind. I'll see you at the station. Will you? Just sort of be there and wait. That way I'd never forget. I'll be there, Dewey. I can't. I'm all cried out. Telling I want it to be brave to make it easy for you to leave, but I can't. You're selfish. You've given me the world and I want to keep it. Keep it for me, too. Oh, damn, don't go. You wouldn't want that. No, of course not. Oh, dear, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of being alone. I'll be back. I'll always be with you. Miss me. Miss me a lot. Good-bye, hon. Looks like he's coming down any minute now, Mr. Now. Oh, boy, it must be great to be a hero like Admiral Roberts. Look, well, there he is now. Well done, Edmund. Admiral Roberts, I don't suppose you remember me. I'm sorry. I can't stop now. I'm Nora Trinnell. I'm sorry. Excuse me. I'm sorry for the trouble. Get back with Horlitz this way, sir. Trinnell, Trinnell. Good lord, of course. She's gone. Who, sir? I'll find her. I'll try, sir. Oh, I ought to be kicked round the quarter deck. Yes, sir. Miss Trinnell. Can you ever forgive me? No, of course. It must be over 20 years. Oh, by the way, this is Commander Stokes, Miss Trinnell. How do you do, Commander? This lady once knew me better than anyone else in the world. Indeed, sir. She always said the right thing at the right time. The thing that set you on your course again. Do you remember telling me, follow your course, Sailor. Don't let anybody ever stop you. And you didn't, did you? Everybody's waiting, sir. No, just give me 30 seconds. No, no, I mustn't keep you doing it. I just wanted to tell you how proud of you I've been. You're much too kind. It seems like yesterday that you went away to Johnstown. How nice of times stood still. Now tell me, what are you doing in Washington? Teaching high school. I've been here for 18 years. And whatever became of... Mr. Hopkins? Yes, Dan Hopkins. He was a grand guy. He never came back in France. I'm terribly sorry. Time's up, sir. Oh, you'd better run along, Dewey. Look, come with me to this infernal banquet. I've got to make a speech and I'm scared to death. If you're where I can see you in the balcony or somewhere, maybe I'll get by with you. Of course, Dewey. Gosh, that's great. Arrange that, Stokes. Come on, Miss Trinnell. In this country, we've had a long lease on freedom. But this time, we're going to own the right to freedom. We're going to stop paying rent in blood for a temporary peace. To do this, we must not only stamp tyranny from the world now, we must hand down to our children and our children's children a deed of ownership, a blueprint of democracy, so they may keep eternal vigilance that the democratic way of life, the only way for us Americans is to be free, free, free. The only way for us Americans shall never perish from this earth. He always was a good boy. Here's our star again, Miss Clonette Colbert. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for such a warm welcome to the cavalcade of America. As heroines go, Noah Trinnell is not as well known as Dolly Madison or Betsy Ross, but I do think that in her character all of us can find qualities that we remember in the gallant women, the schoolteachers, that inspire and mold the youth of our land. I like to think that our play tonight is a tribute to their influence and inspiration. Thank you. Thank you, Clonette Colbert. A word about our program next Monday. A week from tonight, cavalcade will present Tyrone Power in an original radio play, Young Tom Jefferson. A week on the cavalcade of America, Tyrone Power in a new radio play, Young Tom Jefferson. Appearing with Miss Colbert tonight a look as Dewey and Elliot Lewis is danced. Our program was based on the play and motion picture Remember the Day by Philo Higley and Phillip Denning. Miss Colbert will soon be seen in the Paramount picture of the Palm Beach story. The music on cavalcade tonight was composed and directed by Robert Armbruster. This is John Easton sending best wishes from DuPont. This is from Hollywood. This is the National Broadcasting Company.