LOAN OFFICER
That’s no sin here, Mr. Kehoe. We appreciate that sort of discipline. Do you plan on repaying this mortgage through farming the property?
ANDREW KEHOE
Oh, yes.
LOAN OFFICER
Do you have any experience with farming, Mr. Kehoe?
ANDREW KEHOE
Very little, to be honest, sir. But my wife and I studied agriculture at Michigan State. We know what we’re doing.
LOAN OFFICER
That’s a good program. Best in the state. How big is the plot again?
ANDREW KEHOE
185 acres, sir.
LOAN OFFICER
Well, you’re getting a good price from your aunt, Mr. Kehoe. 185 acres is certainly enough collateral – and should guarantee enough income from farming to repay.
ANDREW KEHOE
And the taxes out there are quite low.
LOAN OFFICER
It seems you’ve thought of everything. It all looks very good, Mr. Kehoe. I must say, I’m impressed.
ANDREW KEHOE
Thank you, sir. That’s quite a load off.
LOAN OFFICER
You won’t dislike being out in the middle of nowhere? College is one thing, but farming outside of the little town of Bath might be another.
ANDREW KEHOE
Frankly, sir, I’ll be glad simply to have my own place. My wife and I have had to move quite a bit. Even as a child, I had to share everything with twelve other children. I’ll be fine.
LOAN OFFICER
Not a lot of families out there. You’ll have to get along with your neighbors.
ANDREW KEHOE
Like I said, sir, I had a large family. I’ve always known how to get along. I’m not one to make trouble.
EXT. KEHOE FARM, OUTSIDE BATH – DAY
Andrew and Ellen Kehoe stand on their expansive, newly-purchased property.
Kehoe’s farmhouse, outside Bath. (From The Toledo Blade.)
ELLEN
It’s ours, Andrew. It’s really ours.
ANDREW KEHOE
Sure is.
ELLEN
You sure you’re up for this? You’re not a young man anymore.
ANDREW KEHOE
You know I’m good with my hands. Always was. And I have a lot of ideas about farming, as you know, that I can’t wait to get working.
ELLEN
I’m just glad we got a home. At last! Seven years we’ve been married, Andrew.
ANDREW KEHOE
I told you it would all work out.
The two enter their new house.
Andrew Kehoe and his wife, circa 1920. (From Monty Ellsworth’s 1928 The Bath School Disaster.)
Chapter 3: Pastoral
EXT. KEHOE FARM, OUTSIDE BATH – DAY – LATER
Andrew works, plowing in his field with a tractor, dressed in formal wear but not a vest or jacket. He looks out of place.
A man, M. J. “MONTY” ELLSWORTH, dirty from working on his own farm, approaches, carrying a wrapped pie, and instigates a conversation.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
You must be the new owner. I’m Monty Ellsworth, your neighbor. Good to meet you.
ANDREW KEHOE
I’m Andrew Kehoe. Good to meet you.
The two shake. As they do, Andrew Kehoe notices that his own shirt is dirty.
ANDREW KEHOE
(continued)
Sorry to be greeting you in a dirty shirt, Mr. Ellsworth.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s a dirty profession we’re in. And please, call me Monty.
ANDREW KEHOE
Monty it is, then.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I see you’re hard at work already.
ANDREW KEHOE
Quite so, Monty. I want to start bringing money out of these fields. We’ve got a mortgage to pay.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
My wife baked you this pie to welcome you. It’s her specialty.
Andrew Kehoe takes the pie.
ANDREW KEHOE
It smells wonderful. I’m sure my wife will love it, and it’s quite gentlemanly of you to bring it over. Please thank your wife on our behalf.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I’ll do that. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.
ANDREW KEHOE
I appreciate your hospitality. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take this pie inside and change this atrocious shirt.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Sure. Good meeting you.
ANDREW KEHOE
And you, Monty.
Andrew Kehoe walks off, heading back to the house. Monty Ellsworth shakes his head and departs, heading back to his own farm.
Ellen Kehoe is washing clothes on a washboard. Nearby, Andrew Kehoe is working on a tractor, tying two mowers to the back of it. Various animals wander around, some in pens and some loose. Other farm equipment, including a second tractor, sit nearby. Monty Ellsworth approaches.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Hello, Andrew. I was out and saw you working. Thought I’d come over and see if you needed any help.
ANDREW KEHOE
That’s quite neighborly of you. You haven’t met my wife, Nellie.
Nellie comes over and shakes Monty’s hand.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
A pleasure, ma’am.
ELLEN
Sir.
ANDREW KEHOE
I’m afraid you made the walk over for nothing, Monty. Unless you know how to get these blasted mowers attached.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
You trying to attach two mowers to a tractor?
ANDREW KEHOE
To increase efficiency. I’m just having some problems getting the mechanisms to stay in place while in motion.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Can’t say I’m much help there. I’ve never seen two mowers attached to a tractor before.
ANDREW KEHOE
Well, Monty, if I can get it right, I figure on saving quite a bit of gasoline, over the season.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
It’s not a bad idea if she’s powerful enough to pull it.
ANDREW KEHOE
Oh, she’s strong enough. I’ve gotten her to work fine, only these mowers just won’t stay in place.
ELLEN
My husband is quite the tinkerer. Always looking to make some improvement.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Well, I must say I’m impressed. You seem like a smart man, Andrew.
ANDREW KEHOE
I wouldn’t be so brash as to claim it.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
See you got a second tractor over there.
ANDREW KEHOE
Got her used for a song, far less than she’s worth. Figured I’d use her for parts in my tinkering.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Well, I’ll leave you to it, then. You’ll let me know how it goes?
ANDREW KEHOE
Oh, you’ll see her soon enough.
EXT. KEHOE FARM, OUTSIDE BATH – DAY – LATER
Monty Ellsworth is working by hand, bailing hay and sweating hard. He looks over and sees Andrew Kehoe driving his tractor – with two mowers behind it, driving through tall grass.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Well, I’ll be.
EXT. KEHOE FARM, OUTSIDE BATH – DAY – LATER
Monty Ellsworth, bailing of hay, looks over at the tall grass standing in Andrew Kehoe’s field. He decides to investigate.
He wanders onto Andrew Kehoe’s land and through the tall grass. He finds the tractor with the two mowers attached, abandoned.
Andrew Kehoe appears, surprising Monty Ellsworth. Kehoe is holding a wrench.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
You startled me.
ANDREW KEHOE
Can I help you with something?
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I was actually wondering if I could help you. I couldn’t
help but notice your unmowed grass.
ANDREW KEHOE
Oh, the infernal machine broke down.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I could try to help you get it running…
ANDREW KEHOE
Oh, it’s not the motor. I can repair those all right. It’s the weight of those mowers. I’ve been working on it for days. It runs, then gets caught and stumbles.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Perhaps you’d better get to mowing the old-fashioned way and leave your improvement for next year.
ANDREW KEHOE
Once you’ve seen it at work, the old-fashioned way just won’t do. If I can just get it working more reliably…
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I’ve no doubt you’re brilliant with machinery. And your mind for these new methods… it’s very inventive.
ANDREW KEHOE
Out with it.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I hesitate to say it, but if you wouldn’t mind some neighborly advice… your tinkering should aid your farming. You don’t want the horses to go unfed. You can’t afford to let crops rot while you perfect your inventions.
ANDREW KEHOE
Forget this year. It’s the next that counts. And all thereafter. So I’ll thank you for minding your own business, Monty. I’d like to get back to it now, if you please.
Kehoe palms his wrench menacingly.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I was only trying to help, Andrew.
Monty Ellsworth walks off.
EXT. ELLSWORTH FARM – DAY – LATER
An EXPLOSION rips out of the ground, blasting organic debris into the air and leaving the area burning afterwards. Monty Ellsworth stands watch.
Andrew Kehoe approaches.
ANDREW KEHOE
I heard the explosions and thought I’d come investigating.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Sorry if they upset you or the missus. I was clearing a drainage ditch.
Monty Ellsworth, with Andrew Kehoe following, walks towards the ditch and observes the hole left by the explosion.
ANDREW KEHOE
What are you using there?
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Pyrotol. You haven’t seen it?
ANDREW KEHOE
I’ve used dynamite before, but not that.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
It’s actually used with dynamite.
Ellsworth walks over to the side, where he has a small cache of pyrotol and some dynamite. He shows it to Kehoe.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
(continued)
It’s cordite and smokeless powder. You light it, and it explodes. But it’s simplest to use with dynamite. To set off and enhance the explosion.
ANDREW KEHOE
What do you use it for?
MONTY ELLSWORTH
The usual: getting rid of tree stumps, clearing ditches. Same things we used to use straight dynamite for. Except it’s more likely to burn afterwards.
ANDREW KEHOE
Been a while since agricultural college.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
That’d explain it. It’s actually military surplus. They used it in the Great War. Good thing for us farmers that we beat the Hun when we did, eh?
ANDREW KEHOE
And where do you get this?
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Sporting goods stores and the like. But you can’t get it in town. Have to go into Lansing for that. You want to try one?
ANDREW KEHOE
Sure.
EXT. KEHOE FARM, OUTSIDE BATH – WINTER – DAY – LATER
Several inches of snow covers the ground and the Kehoe farmhouse. A chimney pumps smoke into the air.
INT. KEHOE FARM, OUTSIDE BATH – WINTER – DAY (CONTINUOUS)
Andrew and Ellen Kehoe sit eating at a table by the fireplace.
ELLEN
Auntie’s birthday is coming up. We should get her something. She did get us this home.
ANDREW KEHOE
Yes, and put us in debt to the bankers, while she was at it.
ELLEN
She gave us a fair price.
Andrew Kehoe sits silently, not responding.
ELLEN
(continued)
Is that a yes or a no?
ANDREW KEHOE
There isn’t the money, Nellie.
ELLEN
Oh, I know the farm isn’t paying off like we thought it would. But surely we have enough saved up to do something.
ANDREW KEHOE
We need that money. You don’t think about these things. What if something were to happen to one of us? What would you do if I got sick?
ELLEN
I know, I know. But surely the farm will start paying off.
ANDREW KEHOE
We’re making money.
ELLEN
Yes, but not how we hoped.
Andrew Kehoe sits silently, not responding.
ELLEN
(continued)
Is something wrong?
ANDREW KEHOE
Damn it, Nellie. You wanted a home and we have one. Now, I’m doing my best. To save money. It’s not how it was at college, Nellie. I’m doing the best I can.
ELLEN
I know, husband. I know.
Chapter 4: Agricultural Politics
EXT. KEHOE FARM, OUTSIDE BATH – DAY – LATER
Monty Ellsworth walks up to the Kehoe farmhouse and knocks on the door. Ellen answers.
ON-SCREEN TITLES
1922
ELLEN
Mr. Ellsworth! To what do I owe this pleasure?
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I was just coming by to talk to your husband. I don’t mean to disturb you.
ELLEN
He’s out back.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I’ll find him, ma’am. Thank you.
Monty Ellsworth walks around the farmhouse. He turns the corner and sees Andrew Kehoe beating a mule, trying to get it into its pen.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Andrew?
ANDREW KEHOE
Monty. Sorry I’m so disheveled. Blasted mule doesn’t want to behave.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I’ve actually come knocking because I have something to discuss.
ANDREW KEHOE
Nothing I’ve done, I hope.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
No, Andrew. Nothing like that. It’s only… well, I was wondering if I could count on your vote. And your wife’s too, now that they’ve passed the amendment.
ANDREW KEHOE
You running for something?
MONTY ELLSWORTH
No, Andrew. It’s just that… well, I know you don’t have any children. But we do. And the old school, well… I’m sure you’ve seen it.
ANDREW KEHOE
I have.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
It’s one of those old one-room schoolhouses, as you know. All the children in different grades, sharing one teacher. Like the old days.
ANDREW KEHOE
I went to one too, Monty.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
We all did. But that’s not how education is done anymore. The whole country’s converting to consolidated schools.
ANDREW KEHOE
I do read the papers.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Well, then you know that they’re much better for the children. To have different teachers for each grade.
ANDREW KEHOE
So they say.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
And these consolidated schools have more modern facilities. The rest of the country has them.
ANDREW KEHOE
The students have to travel farther.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Right, well… that’s only natural, to have enough students to fill a room for each grade. And they have buses now, to make up for the distance.
ANDREW KEHOE
The answer’s no, Monty.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I’m sorry? What are you saying no to?
&nbs
p; ANDREW KEHOE
I assume you’re going to tell me about the vote coming up, to form a district here and build one of these consolidated schools.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I am.
ANDREW KEHOE
And you want my vote because you have children, and you think the school would be better for them.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Yes.
ANDREW KEHOE
Well, Monty, since you’ve been so direct with me, perhaps you’ll permit me to be direct with you.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Indeed.
ANDREW KEHOE
I don’t have children. I moved out here, in part, because of the low property taxes. Now, we’ve been here three years, and in that time, there’s been more and more talk of getting with the times and starting one of these consolidated schools.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
I’m sorry to bore you, Andrew. I didn’t know what you’d heard.
ANDREW KEHOE
Well, you have, so it’s my turn now. I don’t like taxes, Monty. They’re un-American. Now, I’ve got a mortgage to pay and, it’s true, I’m thrifty. I save my nickels, and I don’t know why the government thinks it has a right to them. And I certainly don’t know why I, who don’t have any children, should have my nickels stolen to pay for yours.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Sorry you feel that way, Andrew. I suppose it wouldn’t make a difference to appeal to your Catholic sensibilities. To care for children other than your own.
ANDREW KEHOE
My Catholic sensibilities are between me and God, Monty. But you’re right: invite your children over anytime, and I’ll be glad to serve them dinner. But I’ll thank you for leaving the government out of it.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Good day to you, then.
Monty Ellsworth walks away. Andrew hits his mule again in frustration.
EXT. BATH SCHOOLHOUSE – DAY – LATER
Andrew and Ellen Kehoe approaches the old, somewhat dilapidated, one-room schoolhouse, where a scattering of people are voting.
ELLEN
I still don’t feel right voting.
ANDREW KEHOE
Don’t you worry. You’ll vote the way I told you.
ELLEN
I’m no suffragette.
ANDREW KEHOE
Don’t think of it as casting your vote. Think of it as me casting two. Anyway, we have to balance everyone else, who’ll have their wives voting for them as well.
As Andrew and Ellen Kehoe walks up to the door, Monty and Mrs. Ellsworth walks out.
MONTY ELLSWORTH
Hello, Andrew. And Mrs. Kehoe.
ANDREW KEHOE
Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth.