Arthur Meets the President on Local

Transcript:

 * "Listen carefully class,"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * "This is a national contest, so do your best work."
 * "I love contests"
 * saids Muffy.
 * "What do I win?
 * "The winner visits the White House in Washington,"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * "What do we write about?"
 * asked Arthur.
 * "The subject is 'How I Can Help Make America Great'"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * Everyone started writing.
 * Arthur started thinking.
 * He thought about the time he and D.W. helped old Mrs. Tibble clean her yard.
 * He thought about how much more they could do in the neighborhood if the whole class helped.
 * Then he began to write.
 * Weeks later, when Mr. Haney, the Principal,
 * was opening the mail his hands began to shake.
 * "It's a letter from the President!"
 * he gasped.
 * Miss Tingley, the secretary, fainted.
 * Prunella, who was in the office with a stomachache,
 * suddenly got better.
 * "Open it!"
 * she shouted.
 * Mr. Haney clicked on the P.A. system.
 * "Attention everyone! The President of the United States
 * has written to announce the winner of the 'How I Can Help Make America Great' contest.
 * And the winner is our very own Arthur!
 * He and his class are invited to attend a special ceremony at the White House."
 * Mr. Ratburn's class went wild!
 * "Congratulations, Arthur!"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * "You'll have to work hard to memorize your paper
 * so you can recite it to the President next Wednesday."
 * "Memorize...recite?"
 * asked Arthur.
 * "Of course,"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * "We'll all be there cheering you on."
 * "You're on TV!"
 * screamed D.W. when Arthur got home.
 * "Listen!"
 * "...he will recite his winning essay to the President and all of America,
 * the announcer was saying.
 * "I feel sick,"
 * said Arthur.
 * "Not as sick as you'll feel when you're giving your speech,"
 * said D.W.
 * "There's so much to do before we leave,"
 * said Mother.
 * "Arthur, you'll need a new suit."
 * "What about me?"
 * asked D.W.
 * "I need to look beautiful when I meet the President."
 * "The President is very busy,"
 * explained Father.
 * "He'll only have time to meet Arthur and hear him recite his essay."
 * "If I can remember it,"
 * said Arthur.
 * "Of course you can,"
 * said Father.
 * "Just relax.
 * Pretend I'm the President and practice right now."
 * The thought of sitting next to the President made Arthur's mind go blank.
 * "Ah...ah...ah,"
 * he said.
 * "Uh-oh,"
 * said D.W.
 * Monday at school everyone was busy planning the trip.
 * "Oh boy!" no homework for three days!"
 * said Francine.
 * "Not quite,"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * Everyone groaned.
 * "Each of you will have to do a report,"
 * he explained.
 * "As we tour Washington on Wednesday, you will be our guides.
 * So get to work. I"ll see you all at the airport tomorrow morning."
 * Arthur tried to study his speech on the plane.
 * "Don't forget to mention me to the President for the Teacher of the Year award,"
 * Mr. Ratburn reminded him.
 * "Aren't you excited?"
 * asked Buster.
 * "I'm too nervous to be excited,"
 * said Arthur.
 * "You need help,"
 * said D.W.
 * "I'll make the speech for you. I have a lot of ideas about how to run the country."
 * That night at the hotel Arthur was too worried to sleep.
 * "What in the world are you doing?"
 * asked Father.
 * "What if I forget my speech and the President laughs at me?"
 * Arthur asked.
 * "The President would never laugh at you,"
 * said Father.
 * "Why don't you write your speech on note cards and keep them in your pocket,"
 * he suggested,
 * "just in case."
 * "What a great idea!"
 * said Arthur.
 * He felt much better.
 * "Now try not to worry, and go to sleep,"
 * said Mother.
 * The next morning everyone met in front of the Jefferson Memorial.
 * "Arthur, you look so handsome,"
 * said Francine.
 * "Ready to meet the President?"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * "I guess,"
 * said Arthur.
 * He reached into his pocket to make sure the note cards were there.
 * "Time for your reports,"
 * called Mr. Ratburn.
 * "Only one more hour until we're due at the White House."
 * "Our first stop is the Washington Monument, the tallest building in Washington,"
 * explained Francine.
 * "Eight hundred and ninety-eight steps to the top.
 * Everyone ready?"
 * "Are you kidding?"
 * said D.W.
 * "I'm taking the elevator."
 * "This is the Capitol, where Congress makes the nation's laws,"
 * said Sue Sllen."
 * "I think we all know hoe important it is to obey the law,"
 * said Mr. Ratburn.
 * "The National Museum of Natural History has great mummies,"
 * said Buster.
 * "Follow me."
 * "No, thanks,"
 * said Muffy.
 * "I"ll meet you at the gift shop."
 * The last stop was the White House.
 * "It's so big,"
 * said Arthur.
 * "Not as big as Muffy's house,"
 * said D.W.
 * "The White House has one hundred and thirty-two rooms,"
 * said the Brain.
 * "Every President except George Washington has lived here.
 * It has a barber shop, clinic, indoor pool, theater, gym, and it's own library."
 * "And the President's office has fancy gold curtains just like the ones in our living room,"
 * said Muffy.
 * "Excuse me,"
 * said the President's secretary.
 * "The President is arriving.
 * Please follow me to the Rose Garden."
 * Arthur gulped. It was almost time.
 * He took out his note cards.
 * Suddenly a strong wind blew through the garden.
 * "Here comes the President!"
 * squealed Muffy.
 * "My speech!"
 * gasped Arthur.
 * "Relax,"
 * said Mr. Ratburn,
 * "you'll be fine."
 * D.W. wasn't so sure.
 * She had a plan.
 * Arthur had never seen so many important-looking people.
 * "Good afternoon, Mr. President,"
 * he began.
 * "When I think about what I can do to make America great...ah, ah, ah..."
 * Arthur began to feel very warm.
 * His knees began to shake.
 * His mind went blank.
 * "This is the worst day of my life,"
 * he thought.
 * Suddenly Buster giggled.
 * Soon everyone else joined in.
 * Even the President was laughing.
 * Arthur turned bright red.
 * And when Arthur saw what they were laughing at,
 * he laughed too.
 * Now Arthur felt much better.
 * He recited his whole speech without forgetting a single word."
 * "And in conclusion,"
 * he said,
 * "we can all help make America great by helping others."
 * "Good!"
 * said D.W.
 * "Then help me down!"