Bud has a school assignment to do a good deed for someone unknown. As he finds someone to help, he either gets rejected or his good deeds backfire on him. When one deed turns to disaster, his father finds a way to turn it around.
The Andersons get their kitchen repainted. Also, Jim purchases items for the children they have been wanting, but the next day they all forget his birthday. Margaret gets upset at their alternative plans and asking for more favors.
Margaret does a favor for Bud and he wants to give her a thank you gift. He buys perfume using Sunday School money because he knew his boss will pay him later that day. However the boss is out of town and Bud needs the money in the morning.
Jim's cousin Leo visits so he can look for a job in Springfield. Leo is known as Hard Luck Leo. Despite job and apartment leads from the family, it seems nothing works out. Betty soon realizes Leo does not want anything to work out.
While at the malt shop, Bud overhears three girls talking about him, all wanting to ask him to the Girls Ask Dance. He starts thinking he is a real catch and wants to play the odds.
As Bud comes home from a date, he sees one of Betty's boyfriends trying to kiss Betty against her wishes. He comes to the rescue, but Betty really did not want to be rescued. Bud tries to be the romantic man with his date.
Kathy is tired of being treated as a child. She tries including herself on dates with her brother and sister. Betty and her boyfriend agree to take Kathy and her friend to dinner with them, but the plans fall through and Kathy is crushed.
Jim hears he may be awarded the Hall of Merit. He is excited and starts preparing his acceptance speech. Margaret hears the same information and starts making celebration plans. In the evening, everyone waits for word of his being selected.
Jim is asked to be a speaker at an Insurance Convention and asks Margaret to go with him. Margaret has another commitment and stays home. Margaret later changes her mind and goes to NY. Confusion arises as Jim and Margaret try to meet up.
Bud's girlfriend Joyce breaks up with him and returns his gifts. He is upset until he sees the new girl in the neighborhood. Bud courts the new girl, giving her gifts Joyce returned. Then Joyce apologizes and wants to get back together.
Jim receives a book in the mail that was written by a former classmate of his. She is a doctor who practices in Africa. Now, Dr Brown visits Springfield to see Jim.
The show is told in flashbacks to the time when Bud needed advice on how to convince Judy to go out with him. At the same time, Judy is asking advice from Betty on how to get Bud to ask her out.
Jim has a strange dream that involves a television broadcast, a mysterious intruder named Charles Barter, and the formula for happy living. In the days that follow, the dream seems to come true.
Bud's car breaks down and Molly passes by and offers a ride. The next day, Bud is driving Molly's expensive car and going places paid for by Molly. Jim talks to Bud about not taking advantage of Molly just because her family is rich.
Bud is not doing well in physics this year in school and blames the teacher. When Betty starts dating the teacher, Bud thinks his grade will improve because they are going out.
The Andersons are all entranced in a television mystery show when a tube blows in the back of the TV before the show ends. With the unknown end of the show, the family tries to figure out what happened based upon what they already watched.
Bud gets ready to graduate from school, but is annoyed at doing the same activities and ceremonies as every other graduation class. He fights against all the traditions everyone follows.
The family prepares for a trip to a family reunion. Jim finds a shortcut on a map they can travel to Margaret's family home. Alas, it is a rarely traveled road and their car breaks down. Jim walks to a small town and tries to find help.
The governor is coming to town to dedicate a local park. The Anderson's gardener is chosen as the official greeter to the governor when he arrives. When Fronk shows up for rehearsal, the city mayor does not want Fronk since he is Mexican.
Betty returns a defective radio to a store and mistakes a customer for the store owner. She leaves without realizing Tom is a customer. The store owner gives Tom a replacement radio, and he takes it to Betty without correcting his identity.
Bud tries out for a position on the football team and bemoans the fact that the coach does not notice him. Betty tells Bud that the coach's daughter notices him. Bud decides to ask the daughter on a date as a way to get close to the coach.
Kathy does an inspection of the house for fire safety. The attic does not pass the test. Jim & Margaret start a clean up and find things from their younger days. They decide to go bicycling to relive some of those younger days.
Listening to a radio broadcast of a homecoming gathering, Margaret & Jim remember their college years, dating, and previous boy- & girl-friends, other homecomings, etc. Margaret gets flower and a mysterious former boyfriend.
Bud tries to talk Jim into buying a boat, but Jim says he has to earn his own money to buy it. Bud gets a job at a gas station, and Betty is infatuated with the station owner.
Jim acts as a mentor to a new, young insurance agent and asks him over for dinner. Bart feels that he can jump ahead of all the steps up the ladder and ends up stepping on Jim. Kathy feels the same way about one of her friends.
Margaret gets a letter about a Children's Clinic being built and that she is the General Chairman of the Building Committee. She realizes it is a mistake, but when her family ridicules the idea and her skill, she pretends she accepted it.