 Dedicated to the strength of the nation. Proudly we hail. Yes, proudly we hail, starring Mona Freeman, in The Teacher Had a Principal, the United States Army, and United States Air Force presentation. And now here is your host, the well-known Hollywood showman, C.P. McGregor. Thank you, thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, and greetings from Hollywood. Welcome to your Theatre of Stars, for famous personalities of stage and screen. Join us in plays we know you'll enjoy. Our star is one of the most popular young actresses in motion pictures, Mona Freeman. The title of our romantic comedy, The Teacher Had a Principal. We'll have the curtain for act one in just a moment, but first, here's Wendell Niles with an important message. Choose the career that offers all five. The U.S. Army offers you these five keys to a successful future. One, a career of service to country. Two, the right job for you. Three, continuous training for planned advancement. Four, lifetime security. Five, travel and recreation. Yes, men, choose the career that offers all five. Find out about the five keys to a successful future at your nearest U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force recruiting station. Now once again, your host, C.P. McGregor. The curtain rises on act one The teacher had a principal starring Mona Freeman as Marsha Gray. When Marsha Gray was studying to become a teacher her dreams of the future were concerned only with instilling in her students a desire for knowledge. Then Marsha graduated from teachers college and learned that there were more problems in the teaching profession than appeared on the blackboard. Young, attractive and definitely whistle-bait Marsha resented some of the restrictions imposed upon teachers by such unenlightened communities as Hillsdale. And right now at a special teachers meeting called by the principal, Mr. C. Howard Jones Marsha is in a rebellious mood. Ladies, please, Miss Gray. Yes, Mr. Jones. Will you please give me your attention for just a moment? This won't take long. Well, I hope not. There are other cards to make out. I appreciate that, Miss Gray, but they'll just have to wait. This is a matter of grave importance. Oh. Mr. Watson, our physical education and manual training instructor and the coach of our athletic teams was seen entering the pool hall. Well, aren't you shocked? I certainly am, Mr. Jones. In fact, for a moment I was shocked speechless. However, now that I've recovered, I would like to say just for the record that I think Mr. Watson's action was most disgraceful. Thank you, Miss Pickrick. I was sure I could depend on you. Do any of you other ladies have anything to say on the subject? I have. Yes, Miss Gray. What's so disgraceful about Mr. Watson going into the pool hall? Every other man in town goes in there. The fathers of our students, even the members of the school board, I know I've seen them. That's very different, Miss Gray. Those other men are not teachers. Mr. Watson is. Look, Jones, I told you that I only went into the pool hall to get a couple of my basketball players. I appreciate that, Mr. Watson, and I personally am willing to accept your explanation, but that is beside the point. Townspeople, our employers, if you please, who saw you going into the pool hall, do not know the reason you entered. They will feel certain that you went in there to waste your time playing pool. Why should they think that, Mr. Jones? If I visit a friend in a maternity ward, that doesn't make me a mother. Please, Miss Gray, maternity ward indeed. I still don't understand all the excitement, Jones. It was Saturday when I went in there. If I wasted any time, it was my own. A teacher has no time of his or her own, Mr. Watson. I'm not going to go into the wrongs to the community. Then why do our contracts just call for a five-day week? That clause is merely a legal technicality, Mr. Watson. What about the clauses which state that we can't get married or have babies without losing our jobs? Those are not technicalities, Miss Gray. Those clauses were designed to protect the school and us teachers from any influence which might divert our interest from our work. Surely you understand that? I think we'd all be better teachers if we had children of our own and let at least semi-natural lives. I would like to talk with you after I've dismissed the other teachers, Miss Gray. We assembled here to discuss Mr. Watson's error in conduct, not your philosophical approach to pedagogical profession. Please, Mr. Jones, don't talk like an educator. I'll settle with you later. Now, Mr. Watson, I feel that you owe it to the rest of us to remove the stigma which you laid upon us in that pool hall. Okay, Jonesy, what do you want me to do? Why don't you write, I won't go into the pool hall again 500 times. Miss Gray, this is too much. All right, make it 250 times. The rest of you are dismissed. I'll take the matter up with you later, Mr. Watson. Okay, Jonesy. And please stop calling me Jonesy. As for you, Miss Gray, I'll see you in my office immediately. Really, Miss Gray, I can't understand your attitude. If you don't like teaching, why are you a teacher? But I love teaching, Mr. Jones. I think that with the possible exception of medicine, it's the greatest, most satisfying profession in the world. Well, I'm certainly happy if somewhat surprised to hear you say that. I also think that some of the restrictions imposed upon teachers are absolutely archaic. Really? Exactly. We're supposed to teach children to take their places in the world as normal human beings, but we're not permitted to live normal lives ourselves. Oh, this is getting us nowhere, Miss Gray. I asked you to come to my office because of a statement you made concerning marriage and baby. Well, I'm in favor of them both, and I think they should go together. I also believe in the American home and the American way of life, and I'm more than willing to sign an oath of loyalty to this country. Miss Gray, have you been thinking about marriage? Certainly. It's perfectly natural, isn't it? Just what have you done about it? Well, nothing concrete. Just hope. Well, I'm certainly happy to hear that. Why, Mr. Jones, are you proposing? What? Certainly not. But I have been informed that one of our teachers, whose name is as yet unknown, has secretly married and is in fact the mother of an infant. I'm very happy to learn that you are not that teacher, Miss Gray. Oh, you are, are you? Indeed I am. Except for your slightly radical attitude toward a public educator's duties to the community, I consider you one of our finest teachers. Well, thank you. Yes, it would have pained me deeply to have been forced to ask for your resignation. But you'd have done it. I would have had no choice. I see. Well, let me tell you something, Mr. C. Howard Jones. If I ever find a man who'll marry me and who wants children, I'll accept him so fast that he won't know he said I do till the first baby's three years old. And if for any reason he can't afford to support us, I'll keep right on teaching until some long-nosed snooper complains. Good afternoon, Mr. Jones. But I'm not through talking, Miss Gray. Well, I am. I'm going home. I wonder who that could be. I'm coming. Miss Gray. Oh, Miss Randolph. Won't you come in? Thank you, Miss Gray. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important, Miss Gray. Oh, not at all. I was just finishing my dishes. Oh, you can be thankful that one person doesn't use many. Well, that isn't much consolation for living alone. As a matter of fact, I let them stand in the sink for three days. Just to make it look as though a man were living here. Won't you sit down? Thank you. When Mr. Jones dismissed us this afternoon, I didn't get a chance to tell you how much I admired the way you stood up to him and defended Mr. Watson. I certainly congratulate you. Oh, please don't. I was probably wrong. And I'll undoubtedly pay heavily for that little free speech. But I just can't stand injustice. Teachers can't go into pool halls. Teachers can't get married. Teachers can't even have babies. I wanted to talk to you about that. Which? Babies, marriage, or pool halls? Babies. Well, I'm afraid I don't know much about babies, Miss Randolph. I don't even know anyone who has one. I have one, Miss Gray. Well, I think that's wonderful. I think that's wonderful. Miss Randolph? Mrs. Randolph, Miss Gray. I use Miss only to keep the school board from cancelling my contract. Oh, well, yes, of course. Phil, Mr. Randolph is just completing his law course under the GI Bill and helping to support his mother. So it's absolutely necessary that I keep my job until he gets back on his feet. Oh, naturally. Well, I knew you'd understand, Miss Gray. It was deceitful of me to accept this teaching job knowing how they felt about married teachers and babies. But, well, I had to do something. And it hasn't hurt my teaching. Of course it hasn't, Miss Randolph. I wish you'd called me Helen. Well, I'd like to, Helen. My name's Marcia. I know. Oh, this is a terrible imposition, Marcia. And, well, if it weren't for the way you expressed yourself this afternoon, I wouldn't have the nerve to ask. But if you would keep your secret... Oh, my dear, I wouldn't tell us so long. Oh, I'm sure you won't. But that isn't really what I had in mind. Well, Phil and I haven't had a chance to go out together since school started. And this is our third anniversary. I wonder if you'd take care of the baby for us tonight. Well, I'd love to. Where is it? Out in the car. Let's go get him right away. Marcia, please don't call him it. He's terribly sensitive. Here, Marcia. Isn't he a great big boy? Well, he certainly is. What's your name, young man? He's Phil, Junior. Say hello to Miss Gray, Philzie. Oh, dear, don't you like me, Phil? Of course he likes you, Marcia. It's just that you're strange. What did you say? He hasn't seen anyone except his father and myself since school started. Well, here's his bottle. I just heat it in a pan of warm water about 10 o'clock. Thank you, loads. Helen? Yes, Marcia? Well, didn't you forget something important? Well, not that I know of. Isn't Philzie apt to need a spare or something? Oh, you mean his... Yes, yes. Of course, I'll fill you up. I have them right here in my purse. Is there any special way? Well, I always use the square fold. But if you're more accustomed to the triangle, well, that's perfectly all right. Well, I'm sure everything will work out. Now, you just run along and enjoy yourself. Oh, well, thank you again, Marcia. You've been a lifesaver. I know. You can tell by the little round hole in my head. Perhaps next time I can do the same for you. Yes. What? Marcia, if you have any visitors for heaven's sakes, don't tell them whose baby Phil is. If it got around town and Mr. Jones learned about it... Oh, now don't worry about a thing, Helen. No one will learn anything from me, least of all, Mr. Jones. I knew I could depend on you, Marcia. We won't be too late. All right. Good night. Well, Philzie, how do you like staying with your Aunt Marcia? Well, maybe you'd like to have me sing to you. Rock-a-bye, babe. On the treetop. Don't you like my singing? You charming child. Now see what you've done. Your yelling has made your poor mother come back. Just a second, Helen. I'll be right there. Now you stay right there on the Davenport, Philzie, until I let your mother in. I said to make sure that the baby... Mr. Jones. Good evening, Miss Gray. What was it you were saying about a baby? Why, a baby? Did I say something about a baby? Oh, you must be mistaken, Mr. Jones. Really? Well, of course. I wouldn't know a baby if I saw one in my own house. In that event, Miss Gray, I'd better come in and identify an infant for you. We pause briefly for my story. The teacher had a principle starring Mona Freeman to bring you an important message from our government. Women in the medical profession. If you served in the U.S. Army during the recent war, here's important news for you. Nurses, dieticians, physical therapists, or occupational therapists who served in the Army Medical Department in World War II may now qualify for a regular commission. That's right. A new law making this possible has just been passed. And here's an important part of that law. If you were separated after May 12, 1945, you will be credited for the time between separation and your appointment to the regular Army. Appointments will be made through the grade of captain. Yes, for you women who served as nurses, dieticians, physical therapists, or occupational therapists, this is your great career opportunity. Your application must be in by November 15. Like today for your application to the Office of Surgeon General, Department of the Army, Washington, 25 D.C. Certain rises on Act II of the teacher had a principle starring Mona Freeman as Marsha Gray. When Marsha Gray left Mrs. Randolph's crying baby on her Davenport and hurried to the door, she expected to meet the baby's mother. Instead, she found herself face to face with her school principal, Mr. C. Howard Jones, who, at the request of the school board, was trying to discover which of his teachers had violated her contract by marrying and having a baby. Really, Mr. Jones? It's awfully nice of you to drop in and very thoughtful, but, well, I'm really not prepared to have any guests this evening. I can readily believe that, Miss Gray. Where's the baby? Baby? Yes, Miss Gray, baby. The infant I heard crying a moment ago. Oh, you must be mistaken, Mr. Jones. I don't hear any baby crying. Neither do I. Now, but I certainly did when I was standing outside the door. Well, are you sure it wasn't the radio, Mr. Jones? Positive, nor was it a television set. Well, are you going to invite me into your living room? Are you going to keep me standing in this hallway all night? I told you I'm not prepared to receive any guests. I appreciate that, Miss Gray. Nevertheless, as principal of the school, I must do my duty. Please stand aside. I'd like to see the baby. But I told you it was just the radio, Mr. Jones. I prefer to trust my own eyes. This isn't a radio, Miss Gray. Well, for heaven's sakes, what is it? A baby, and there it is on your Davenport. You see, Miss Gray, I know a real baby when I hear one. I could never be fooled by a radio actor pretending to sound like a baby. Oh, you know so much. And you keep out of this, you stool pigeon. Well, Miss Gray, I shall expect to find your resignation on my desk in the morning. Resignation? Naturally. You know that your contract forbids any teacher to be married or to have children while employed by the school district. But, but, Mr. Jones. I'd like to speak to your husband, if I may. My husband? Yes, the father of this little contract breaker. But I'm not married, Mr. Jones. Not married? Oh, Miss Gray. Mr. Jones, please. I'll be all right. I'll be all right, Miss Gray. I just fainted from the shock. Not married. Really, Miss Gray, this is too much. I don't blame you, my child. I don't blame you. Just a second, Mr. Jones. This is not my baby. Then whose child is it? Well, I can't tell you that. But it belongs to a man and a woman. I believe that is a not uncommon occurrence. What are the names of this man and woman? Well, I told you that I just couldn't say. I see. In that case, Miss Gray, I can only assume that an alleged man and woman are figments of your imagination, and that this child is indeed yours. Well, he's not. How are you, Philzie? You see, I'm just taking care of him for the evening. You mean the child's parents will return to pick him up later? Well, of course. In that unlikely event, I shall wait and meet the parents. But you can't do that. And why not, may I ask? Well, because you just can't. Perhaps that's the child's parents returning. Oh, well, I'm sure it couldn't be. We'll see. That is, if you'll answer the door. All right. But you wait right here. And you keep an eye on him, Phil. Why, Mr. Watson? Oh, won't you please come in? I just dropped by to thank you for a distracting old pickle-puss this afternoon. Oh, dear, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. Oh, sure you do. The way you jumped in with that baby's and marriage routine made Jonesy forget all about me going to a pool hall. You're quite mistaken, Mr. Watson. Oh. I shall go into the pool hall. That is, the matter of the pool hall at some other time. At present, I'm concerned about a much more serious affair. Oh? He's referring to the baby. Baby? She's kept her secret very well, Mr. Watson. But Miss Gray has a baby in the other room. What's more, she isn't married. I told you that child isn't mine. Of course. And in the same brazen breath, Mr. Watson, she refuses to divulge the identity of the baby's parents. And they also told you I can't do that. Of course you can't. Why can't you tell her, Marsha? Well, because they... Well, just because. I see. Well, I guess we can't keep it a secret any longer. You mean, you know? Of course, Marsha. Mr. Jones, that baby is mine. Mr. Watson. Yours? Well, Mr. Watson, first you're seen going into pool halls. Then I discover you have a baby. I suppose as a last straw, I learned that you're married. Mr. Watson, I shall expect to have your resignation in the morning. You'll get it. Mr. Watson, please. It's all right, Marsha. You can call me Wally now that old vinegar-fizz here knows. Knows? About us. What about us? There's no point in attempting to continue your deception, Miss Gray. What are you... What's anybody talking about? I should have suspected that there was something between you two, and Miss Gray defended you so ably this afternoon, Mr. Watson. Look, please, won't somebody tell me something? I don't suppose you told Jonesy when we were married, Marsha. Married? Oh, so you are married. Naturally. I come from a long line of married people, Jonesy, and I expect my children to be able to say the same. Just when and where were you married, Mr. Watson? Well, since I'm resigning tomorrow, this is none of your business, but just so there can't be any gossip about Miss Gray, my wife, that is, we'll be remarried sometime this week before we leave town. Married? Oh, Mr. Watson, if you can only cook. Well, now that everything is understood, I might as well be on my way. Don't bother to show me out, Miss Gray. Mrs. Watson, I mean. I can find my own way. Mr. Watson. Did I leave you alone, Miss Gray? Well, I don't... Oh, yes, you did. I was forgetting that thing. Marthea? Phil and I decided we just couldn't enjoy the show because of worrying about our baby. Mr. Jones. Yes, Miss Randolph. Am I to understand that this baby is yours? What? Really, Mr. Jones? I don't know what to say. Well, I do, Helen. Who are you, young man? Phil Randolph, and that baby is ours. You want to make anything of it? I was as proud as a pup when that baby was born, and I'm not ashamed of him now. But my job would depend on that. I'll find some way to take care of you if you lose your job. I'm afraid that's quite certain, Mr. Randolph. Your wife has violated her teaching contract on two accounts. One, she is married, two, she has a baby. Her dismissal is, of course, automatic. I don't think so. What you think makes no difference, I'm afraid, Miss Gray. We'll see about that. If Helen Randolph loses her job, I'm going to write every paper in the state and tell them what you and the local school board have done. I'll tell them about her husband being a combat veteran, studying under the GI Bill, and obliged to support his mother, and that the only reason she's teaching is to hold their family together until he's able to complete his education, which was interrupted while he fought to protect you. Hysterical threats will get you nowhere. No, Marsha, keep out of it. This is our problem. It's my problem as much as yours. More, maybe. More? If you hadn't come in when you did and upset everything, Wally, Mr. Watson was going to marry me. I suppose you want my resignation, Mr. Jones. No, Miss Gray. After consulting with the school board, we have decided to eliminate the clauses banning marriage and babies. What do you think of that? Well, I think it's wonderful, Mr. Jones. But what about Mr. Watson and the pool hall? I'm coming to that. You see, I, uh... I'm not really as unreasonable as you seem to think. Oh, I never thought you were unreasonable, Mr. Jones. Really? Well, of course not. I may have thought you were a stuffed shirt and scared to death of the board, but I never thought you were unreasonable. Oh. Well, I... I'm going to try to live down the stuffed shirt, Miss Gray, and having taken a little courage from you, I can assure you that I'm no longer afraid of the school board. I... I was just wondering if I might have the pleasure of your company this evening. Why, I think it's a marvelous idea, Mr. Jones. I hoped you'd think so. In fact, I went ahead and reserved a table. That sounds terribly exciting. I haven't had a table reserved for me since I started teaching. Where are we going? To meet Mr. Watson at the pool hall. I reserved table seven. The technical calls and the final act that the teacher had a principle. Our star, Mona Freeman, will return for a curtain call after this timely message from Wendell Niles. High school graduates, before choosing any career, check up on the excellent opportunities which the United States Air Force offers you. Now you can actually chart your future step by step. You know exactly where you stand and what to expect of the future. It works like this. After you enlist in the U.S. Air Force, you'll have given special placement tests which determine your aptitudes and abilities. Next, you're interviewed by highly skilled career counselors who help you select the job for which you are best suited and have the best chance for success. Then you start a definite career plan, combining on-the-job training with technical schools and maximum use of the skills you've learned. At all times, your future is clear and assured. Learn how you may enjoy these advantages as an airman in the U.S. Air Force. Inquire at your nearest Air Force base or U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Recruiting Station. And I'll once again your host, C.P. McGregor and our star, Mona Freeman. It is set of Hollywood. It is the place where the unbelievable happens. Well, instead of casting our star as a teenager as she is known to the motion picture audiences, we asked Mona Freeman to portray a schoolteacher. I think you were grand, Mona. Oh, and I loved it, C.P. Of course, I didn't object to the whistle-bait description as you opened the story. It sort of established the teacher. If there ever was a star in Hollywood that didn't need establishing, you're her. Oh, thank you. But, of course, I really took the casting cue from one of your latest Paramount pictures branded. Well, I'm quite grown up as a Texas rancher's daughter in that one. That's right. And then in Paramount's still unreleased, Copper Canyon, you were also a young lady. That's right. Of course, you know Copper Canyon is a period story where I play the young wife of a Civil War soldier. Well, since both branded and Copper Canyon have you as a young woman in her early 20s, I know our listeners will find you just as delightful. Oh, thank you. But now I hear that there's another picture on fire for you, a sequel that will put you back in the teenage part. Well, I'll be a little older. You see, the first picture, dear Ruth, has a sequel called Dear Wife. Well, you were slightly older. And the next one, although it isn't written yet, may be called Dear Mom. And I'm likely to be a very old woman in that. Oh, yes, 18 or 19 at least. Well, I know we'll be looking forward to seeing you. And by the way, having you back here with us again. Well, I'd love it. You know, C.P., my husband, Pat Nearney, and I always listen to your theater. So please tell me who's starring next week. Well, next week, Mona and ladies and gentlemen, we're going to bring you one of Hollywood's most popular actors, Phillip Reed. He will star with us in a romantic play called Thank You Miranda. I know you'll find our star at his dramatic best. Don't miss it. Oh, that's supersonic. Pat and I will be simply wedged to our loudspeaker. Be seeing you. Do that. And we'll be seeing you again soon. Goodbye, Mona. Be sure to join us next week, ladies and gentlemen. And Phillip Reed stars in the romance Thank You Miranda. Until next week then, this is C.P. McGregor saying thanks for listening and cheerio from Hollywood. Mona Freeman appeared for the courtesy of the Hollywood Coordinator, Betty, which arranges for the appearance of all stars in this program. Scripted by Bill Hampton with the music Betty Dunstead. This program was transcribed in Hollywood for release at this time. Wendell Niles speaking.