Ep.24 - An Easter Story

While the children husk corn in the barn, Grandma arrives to send John-Boy to fetch Dr. Vance. He diagnoses her with polio. The family works to help do their part in keeping the house running. Reverend Fordwich arrives with a signature quilt made by the Ladies Aid Society as a token of their affection.

Dr. Vance applies stints to Olivia's legs and gives the children the okay to visit with their Mama. Erin can't bear to see her Mama sick. She runs out to the barn. John-Boy finds and comforts her and she goes to be by her Mother's side. Olivia begins to encourage each of her children to rise to their potential. John-Boy suggests that he and his mother can look at this college admission requirements. He visits the school to get the forms and while there he meets with a professor who is studying polio. He promises to send John-Boy some radical new information developed by a Sister Kenny in Australia.

While John-Boy helps Mary-Ellen with her dance steps Olivia begins to move her foot. The professor visits with Olivia and brings the information from Australia. He had polio as well and walks with crutches and braces. It is a disturbing eye opener for the family. Olivia is eager to try the new methods. Meanwhile the children continue making progress with their plans. Ben, who wants to be a salesman begins to sell magazine subscriptions, Jason auditions for an amateur contest and Mary-Ellen works at her dancing with G.W. The Baldwin sisters arrive with the gift of a wheelchair but Olivia is not interested in using such a device. The family returns from the amateur competition and Jason performs his song “The Ironing Board Blues for his Mama. He has won first place and a new guitar for his performance.

Olivia tries to walk on her legs but finally resigns to the fact that maybe she will need the wheelchair after all. John-Boy can't accept that fact and runs up the mountain in frustration. John chases him and the two debate the issue. The next morning though when Olivia hears Elizabeth call her name she gets up out of bed and walks towards her voice. John and the family rushes to see her standing on her own two feet by the window. Olivia is able to see the crocus's that the family has planted outside for her with her own eyes. The family including Olivia and John attends the Easter sunrise service held outside on the mountain.

• When the family leaves the church at the beginning of this episode they are in fact walking out the front entrance of the building used for the Walton's Mountain school house.
• Jon Walmsley's musical talents would continue to shine throughout the series but it should be noted that he wrote the song "The Ironing Board Blues" which he performs in this episode.
• This episode was also known as "The Walton's Crisis" in certain parts of the world.
• The Baldwin sisters go to the episcopal church where their father was a deacon.
• Ben begins to sell and distribute subscriptions to various magazines including Liberty, Collier's, Harper's and The Saturday Evening Post.
• This episode ends with scrolling credits instead of the usual static title cards.