ETV Classics
Under the Blue Umbrella: What's Wrong (1977)
Season 5 Episode 14 | 13m 25sVideo has Closed Captions
The purpose of rules in the world and why it is important to follow them.
This episode explores the purpose of rules in the world and why it is important to follow them. It centers around a young girl who gets into trouble in school for not following the rules.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
ETV Classics is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Support for this program is provided by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.
ETV Classics
Under the Blue Umbrella: What's Wrong (1977)
Season 5 Episode 14 | 13m 25sVideo has Closed Captions
This episode explores the purpose of rules in the world and why it is important to follow them. It centers around a young girl who gets into trouble in school for not following the rules.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪ Under the blue umbrella ♪ ♪ Yes, under the clear blue sky, ♪ ♪ there's a world to be discovered ♪ ♪ that's full of things to try ♪ ♪ Everything is waiting there ♪ ♪ just for you and me ♪ ♪ Under the blue umbrella ♪ ♪ just take a look and see.
♪ ♪ Really?
Mrs. Harris> Where in the world have you been?
You're almost 20 minutes late.
Sally> I had to stay in to talk to the teacher.
She wrote this note.
Mrs. Harris> Dear Mrs. Harris, I kept Sally after school today because she kept breaking one of our class rules.
We do not interrupt other people while they're talking.
She interrupted me and the other students all day.
This is not like Sally.
So I kept her after school so I could talk to her about it.
I'm sure she won't continue to break this rule.
Mrs. Thomas.
Sally, what do you mean by interrupting others while they talking?
You know that's rude.
You won't continue doing it, will you?
Sally> No, Momma.
I won't break the rule again.
♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ See the sign.
Rules.
Rules.♪ ♪ of every time.
Rules.
Rules.
♪ ♪ Everywhere we find rules.
♪ ♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ Stop.
Go.
Rules.
Rules.
♪ ♪ Fast.
Slow.
♪ ♪ Rules.
Rules.
Yes.
No ♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ ♪ Why are there so many orders.
♪ ♪ We can have those, but not these.
♪ ♪ Why are there so many rules to control me?
♪ ♪ Why can't we do as we please?
♪ ♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ See the sign.
Rules.
Rules.♪ ♪ of every time Rules.
Rules.♪ ♪ Everywhere we find rules.
♪ ♪ Mrs. Harris> Hurry, Sally.
I think the meter's out of time.
If we don't get there before the police, I'll get a ticket.
♪ Oh, we're too late.
Sally> You just broke a rule like I did at school today, didn't you, Momma?
Mrs. Harris> I guess I did.
A law is a rule, just like rules in your class.
(door slams) (door slams) Sally> Momma, the sign says no parking.
Mrs. Harris> It's all right.
We'll only be here a minute.
Sally> But isn't that a rule everyone has to follow.
Mrs. Harris> You go see how Pete's doing and I'll move the car.
(bat strikes ball) (crowd cheers) Player #1> Hurry, hurry, hurry!
Keep going.
Okay, okay.
Way to go, Nikki Umpire> Hey!
(crowd applause) (crowd cheers) (crowd cheers) Player #2> Come on.
Red!
Hey!
Umpire> What.
What.
Player #2> Come on, Red.
Umpire> Hey.
All right.
(crowd cheers) Player #2> Come on, Red.
(crowd cheers) (Bat strikes ball) (Cheering) (crowd cheers) Pete> We won!
Mrs. Harris> Very good, Pete.
Pete, did you play by the rules of the game today?
Pete> Of course, course I did.
If I hadn't, the umpire would thrown me out of the game.
Why did you ask that?
Mrs. Harris> Well, Sally and I've been talking about rules.
Haven't we, Sally?
Sally> Rules.
Everywhere there are rules to obey.
I don't like rules.
Dad> Well, I certainly enjoyed that.
Mrs. Harris> I'm glad you did.
Sally, it's your turn to feed the cats and Pete, it's your turn to help me with the dishes.
Sally> They're taking turns.
Even the cats have rules to follow.
TV guest> If you put a mediocre book and a red hot cover, we're likely to pick it up.
If you want a bad book and a good cover, we're likely to pick it up.
Same thing is true of children.
They are as related to form and color and movement as we are.
TV host> What you're saying is that... (TV knobs rattling) Dad> Just want do you think you're doing?
Sally> I want to watch this.
Dad> And I was watching the news before you changed the channel.
Change it back.
Sally> But, Daddy.
Dad> Sally!
Sally> Okay.
Rules are rules.
(TV knobs rattling) Mrs. Harris> Sally, you want to play checkers?
Sally> Sure.
(TV conversation continues) that we spend on that we are.
Therefore, we put our books and paper and we put it in the library, and we put magazines.
Pete> Sally, you can't do that.
Sally> Why not?
Pete> Because it's against the rules.
Sally> I don't like rules.
I'm not going to play if I have to follow rules.
Why does everything have rules?
Why can't people do what they want to do?
(harp playing) Voice> What's wrong, Sally?
You don't like rules?
Sally> No, I don't like rules.
I wish there were no rules anywhere.
Voice> Well, then.
If the world without rules is what you want, the world without rules is what you'll get.
(harp playing) (harp playing) (Pop) (street traffic sounds) Sally> They almost hit each other.
Voice> Of course they did.
There was no rule to stop them.
(harp playing) (Pop) (car screeches to a stop) Sally> What's wrong with that driver?
She almost hit me.
Voice> They are supposed to be.
You went out into their street.
Sally> But I almost...got hurt.
(harp playing) (Sally talking quietly) (kids yell) Sally> What's wrong with them.
Why won't they be quiet?
I was talking.
Voice> you mean they're interrupting you?
There's no rule against interrupting.
(harp playing) (kids laughing and talking) Sally> They're not taking turns.
Voice> What's wrong with that?
Taking turns is following rules.
There are no rules here.
(harp playing) (Pop) (Street traffic sounds) (cans clunck) Sally> Look at all that mess.
It looks like those people would know better than to litter.
Voice> What's wrong with littering?
Sally> Trash on the street doesn't look nice, Voice> But there's nothing wrong with it.
Those people were just doing what they wanted to do.
(harp playing) Police Officer> Stop!
Police!
Voice> Wait a minute.
The policeman can't stop the robber.
(Pop) Voice> He's just doing what he wants to do.
Voice> That's better.
Sally> No it isn't.
He's stealing money.
That's against the law.
Voice> But Sally, a law is a rule, and the world doesn't have any rules.
Remember?
(harp playing) (car horns honking) (yelling) (car horns honking) Sally> Momma.
Momma, where are you going?
Where's Momma going?
She can't leave the car here.
Voice> Why not?
Sally> Those other cars can't get around her.
Voice> It doesn't matter, Sally.
Your mother wanted to park here and there's no rule against it.
(car horns continue honking) (harp playing) Worker #1> ...I'll be expecting this...230.
Say, Tom.
Where are you going?
It's only 2:00.
Worker #2> I'm going home.
Worker #1> Are you sick or what's wrong?
Worker #2> No, I'm just going home.
Worker #1> But quitting time is at 5:00.
Worker #2> Oh, quitting time is a rule.
There are no rules in this world anymore.
Sally> But daddy, don't live like that or you'll get fired.
Voice> Do you really want your father to follow the rules of his office?
Nobody else has to follow any rules.
Sally> There have to be rules.
But there have to be rules.
But there have to be rules.
There have to be... (harp playing) But there have rules.
There have to be rules, but there have to be rules.
But there have to be rules or else people will get hurt.
Mrs. Harris> Sally, Sally!
Wake up.
You're having a bad dream.
Sally> Oh, I was Momma and everything was going wrong.
There were no rules anywhere.
Mrs. Harris> Then you mean having to follow rules isn't so bad after all?
Sally> No, I guess not.
Everything goes wrong without rules.
I'm never going to complain about rules again.
Mrs. Harris> Then you're not going to complain when I tell you it's bedtime, are you?
Sally> Good night, Momma.
♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ See the sign.
Rules rules ♪ ♪ of every time.
Rules.
rules ♪ ♪ Everywhere we find rules.
♪ ♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ Stop.
Go.
Rules.
Rules.
♪ ♪ Fast.
Slow.
♪ ♪ Rules.
Rules.
Yes.
No ♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ ♪ Why are there so many orders.
♪ ♪ We can have those, but not these.
♪ ♪ Why are there so many rules to control me?
♪ ♪ Why can't we do as we please?
♪ ♪ ♪ Rules.
♪ ♪ See the sign.
Rules rules ♪ ♪ of every time Rules.
Rules.
♪ ♪ Everywhere we find rules.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
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ETV Classics is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Support for this program is provided by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.