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Series Notes: ABC; 30m; color; 1969-74; 78 episodes
School drama centering on history teacher Pete Dixon and his colleagues and students in a big-city high school; frequently dealt with topical issues.
Regulars: Lloyd Haynes (Pete Dixon)
Denise Nicholas (Liz McIntyre
Michael Constantine (Seymour Kaufman)
Karen Valentine (Alice Johnson) Judy Strangis (Helen)
David Jolliffe (Bernie)
Heshimu (Jason)
Ta-Tanisha (Pam)
Guest Cast:
Mark Lambert (Val Silverton); Tannis Montgomery (Sherry)

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Episode Summary:
(Episode is sometimes listed as "Sins of the Father")
Pete’s class is studying civil unrest in the post-WWI period. After an argument over the Saccho-Vanzetti executions, they decide to try the case themselves. Val Silverton, son of former judge and present Commissioner Matt Silverton (Kelley), is adamant that only the guilty end up in trouble with the law, and acts as prosecutor. Not only does Val take the role very seriously, but his grades have been slipping to the point that he will not be able to get into the Ivy League colleges he has set his sights on, and he has a falling-out with his long-time girlfriend Sherry. The class learns the cause of the trouble when the newspaper posts the headline that Commissioner Silverton has been indicted for corruption. Val suddenly becomes completely hostile to his father, assuming him to be guilty of both the charge and hypocrisy, and applies to transfer to a private school. Pete and Liz try to persuade him not to run away and also to give his father a fair hearing. The other students, who never liked the serious Val much, rally round. Worried about his son's reaction when he sees the headline, Matt Silverton comes to find Val at school, asserts his innocence of the charge and declares his love for his son. Val returns to class less judgmental, and the trial continues, ending (naturally enough) in a hung jury.
Notes:
Kelley sports longish 70's hair and a mustache in this one. He gets only a short scene with rather predictable lines and restrained delivery.
For Trekkers:
Series star Lloyd Haynes played Lt. Alden in "Where No Man Has Gone Before."

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Sources: Brooks & Marsh

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