Preview | Previous Episode | Next Episode
Original Airdate: 01/17/97
At school, Lucy is caught doing her math homework in her English class and is reprimanded by the teacher. Lucy pleads for more time to complete her essay on "The Crucible" but the teacher is unmoving and tells Lucy that her essay must be handed in tomorrow like the rest of class.
That night at the Camden household, Mary gives Lucy her old research paper on "The Crucible" and tells Lucy to just use some of the quotes and references in the paper. Matt and Mary take off to a hangout called The Varsity where Mary is supposed to steal something to fit in with all the other varsity players in the school. When the manager isn't looking she swipes a glass and leaves the restaurant.
The next day, Eric approaches Matt with the stolen glass, assuming it was Matt who stole it. He orders Matt to return the glass and apologize to the manager, which Matt agrees to do - covering for Mary. When he returns the glass to the manager, the manager doesn't accept Matt's apology and presses charges against Matt. Back at the house, Mary is beating herself up over the pressure of being on the varsity basketball squad. Meanwhile, Lucy is also bursting into tears after the paper she handed in that was virtually copied from Mary's essay, got an A from the teacher. Lucy thinks about quitting cheerleading because of the current lack of time to do everything she wants to.
Eric and Annie pick up Matt from the police station and Eric apologizes to Matt for what has happened and offers to go and talk to the manager of The Varsity in the morning. Matt refuses his father's help and goes upstairs to talk to Mary. Matt tells her not to tell the truth about what happened the night before and to let him take the blame.
After receiving a call from Eric, Rev. Morgan Hamilton grills his John over the night before and works out exactly what happened - and know that Mary took the glass. He reasons this out as a result of him hosting the sports banquet every year and all the stolen items make it look like The Varsity catered the event. John calls Matt and warns him that his father knows the truth.
Downstairs, Annie finds the report that Lucy turned in and confronts her about the seemingly identical report of Mary's. The two talk about how Lucy spends her time, her relationship with Jimmy Moon and Dwight, and how much her education means. Annie tells Lucy that she needs to tell her teacher the truth.
Getting ready for bed, Simon tells Ruthie that he has given up trying to teach her the national anthem. Not to be beaten, Ruthie starts he wrong words until Simon is morally obligated to correct her.
Eric goes the next day to see the manager of The Varsity and tries to reason with him to drop the charges against Matt. The manager is adamant about setting an example for the other kids from the school - and will not drop the charges. Eric says he is disturbed because the manager is punishing Matt for doing the right thing - but the manager won't budge. When Eric returns home, Matt tells him that he is going to go see a counselor about what has been happening - and to talk about Eric. Eric is a little put off by this, thinking Matt should talk with him and not some counselor.
Matt arrives at his counselor's house - who is actually Rev. Hamilton and asks him not to tell the truth about the glass incident to his father. Morgan urges Matt to throw all the cards on the table with his father, but Matt says that is impossible right now. In return for a promise to talk to his father, Morgan agrees not to tell the truth to Eric, but says he will handle the court hearing.
Lucy is shocked to find her teacher understanding and proud of Lucy for telling the truth about the copied research paper. Lucy practically does cartwheels out of the classroom when the teacher says she is giving Lucy a second chance to write her own paper. Outside, she tells Jimmy she likes him as a boyfriend, and then tells Dwight she likes him as a friend. Both boys nod to each other in agreement.
The older siblings all arrive at the courthouse to support Matt on his appearance. During the proceedings, Mary interjects and says she is the one who stole the glass. After a tense moment, the court room doors burst open and hundreds of the school's varsity players come through with items they have stolen from The Varsity. The manager agrees to drop the charges if all the items are returned and the students perform work at The Varsity to pay for their law breaking.
After arriving back home, Simon ushers them into the living room. The lights go up, and Ruthie hops onto a chair with the United States flag as a background and begins singing the National Anthem. Everyone watches with love in their eyes as their youngest sister goes through the song perfectly. Proud, we leave our family as Eric fights back tears. .