Ep 4. The Education of Ernest T. Bass

" The Education of Ernest T. Bass" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of the classic American television program The Andy Griffith Show. The episode first aired on October 16, 1964, and was directed by Lee Phillips and written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell.

The plot centers around Ernest T. Bass, a wild and unruly mountain man who has caused numerous problems for the citizens of Mayberry in previous episodes. In this episode, Ernest T. has decided that he wants to become educated so that he can impress a woman named Romina and win her affections. However, he quickly discovers that the process of education is not as easy as he initially believed.

Ernest T. enlists the help of Andy Taylor and Barney Fife, who attempt to teach him the basic skills he needs to read, write, and do arithmetic. The first lesson involves teaching Ernest T. how to write his own name. However, Ernest T. quickly becomes frustrated with the slow pace of learning and storms out of the classroom, vowing to continue his education on his own terms.

As he struggles to learn on his own, Ernest T. becomes increasingly desperate and resorts to stealing books from the library in order to improve his knowledge. However, his efforts are ultimately fruitless, and he decides to give up on his quest for education entirely.

Throughout the episode, there are several humorous moments as Ernest T. tries to navigate the world of learning. For example, when Andy asks him how much two plus two equals, Ernest T. responds, "I don't know, but I can jump higher than a dogwood tree!"

When Romina discovers that Ernest T. has given up on his education, she is disappointed and tells him that she was attracted to him because she thought he was smart. This motivates Ernest T. to try again, and he puts in hours of hard work in the library, eventually mastering the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic.

In the end, the citizens of Mayberry are amazed at Ernest T.'s newfound knowledge, and Romina agrees to give him a chance. The episode concludes with Ernest T. triumphantly walking down the street, proudly showing off his new skills to anyone who will listen.

Overall, "The Education of Ernest T. Bass" is a charming and entertaining episode that showcases the humor and heart that made The Andy Griffith Show such a beloved part of American television history.