Understanding Others (1956)

[Music] do we really understand those with whom we work in our daily lives do we understand makes Bill the way he is or Ernie or Betty do we ever try to understand another person's Viewpoint to look at things his way what about you Bob Stevens do you understand other people you seem to be a regular guy most people like you in the next few minutes let's see how you act and how you think in regard to others steady boy this is a big day hey you got your acceptance speech ready sure he does oh by the way Bob do you have anyone in mind for the social column Yours Truly for instance why ask me ask the new editor whom did you think she was asking or were you just being big about it oh look there's nothing sure about this thing Miss Alton could have chosen any one of us on the staff even old Ernie here all right all right citizens this is Ernie Davis fighting City editor of the Southwest High Banner fighting copy boy you mean hey hey look just came in somebody should have closed the door now bill that isn't nice Ben Curtis really surprised me this year he's well I think he's done well on the paper don't you I suppose it's a good thing for a fell like Ben to get in on a few things Bill's right Ben Curtis doesn't belong here and that corny stuff he writes look at that get up he's wearing weird to say the least well what can you expect from his kind as far as I can see his folks are strictly no good his father never held a steady job in his life just worked long enough to buy a bottle and his mother I remember when Mom used to have her come over to the house to do the cleaning she was a lousy worker the whole family stupid ignorant people you do kind of wonder why is on the school paper though you'd think he'd feel out of place around people like us you know I think you have been all wrong I know he hasn't got much of a family he's a pretty sharp character makes dog on good grades too a lot better than mine and that's something special everybody makes better grades than you earning okay wise guy I want to tell you something I have an English class with Ben and he's nobody's fool you know I think the guy has real talent for writing for writing what his name you mean oh oh I don't know very much about him he doesn't talk very much here comes Miss Alden sit here Bob I want to make sure you remember me for the social column this is it I'd be a first class liar if I didn't admit to myself that I'm going to get this job who else Bill nah he doesn't work very hard at anything Betty I doubt it maybe Jim Gardner yeah it could be either one of us but I figure I'm the one everybody else thinks so too good afternoon it looks as if we have a good attendance for our Press Club meeting first of all I'd like to make a little statement concerning the selection of our new editor-in Chief since you did ask me to make this selection I can only assume that you expected a selection based on Merit and not necessar on personality that lets Jim out he's the personality kid around here I appreciate your trust in asking me to appoint your editor it was a difficult decision however I hope my decision will meet with your approval well to end the suspense may I introduce the new editor-in chief of the Southwest High Banner Ben Curtis Ben Curtis what the she must be kidding that screw ball why even old Ernie he'd be 10 times better Ben will you come up and take over it's not fair Bob that creep creep is right look at the poor sap he doesn't know what to do with himself brother how long does he think he'll last look at him up there does he really think we're going to accept him as editor so that's what you think Bob Ben Curtis is not the man for the job you think you should have from your Viewpoint Ben is a what was it a creep a screw ball are you right Bob is he really such an undesirable person for the job do you really understand Ben Curtis there must be reasons for everything Ben does let's go back back to the moment when Ben entered the room let's look at this incident again from his Viewpoint are they laughing at me I'm sure they make jokes behind my back they think I'm odd because my clothes are old and worn and because I have to spend all my spare time working instead of horsing around like they do my whole life is different from theirs I couldn't even begin to fit into their group I wish they did like me maybe I could just walk over there and let them know that I want to be friendly no I'd better not why ask for trouble that Ernie Davis he'd probably make fun of me better stay away from them stuck a bunch of snobs hi Ben hi say I've got a hunch about you what you're going to be the new editor me editor are you kidding me editor if only at word true I give anything to the editor hey here she comes now next year's editor coming up good afternoon looks as if we have a good attendance for our Press Club meeting first of all I'd like to make a little statement concerning the selection of our new editor and chief since you did ask me to make this selection C I can only assume that you expected a selection based on Merit and not necessarily on personality if Bob gets it I hope he gives me a chance I'd do anything he asked me to do it wouldn't have to be a very big job I appreciate your trust in asking me to appoint your editor it was a difficult decision however I hope my decision will meet with your approval well to end the suspense may I introduce the new editor and chief of the Southwest High Banner Ben Curtis me h no is she making fun of me no she's serious I don't believe it it it can't be true Ben will you come up and take over I Told You So Ben go to it boy what do I do now I can't get up in front of them what do I say what do I do let me see they're sure expecting something I guess there's no use in saying I'm surprised you can see that keep talking Ben give yourself a chance to think I want to thank Miss Alton for this opportunity I'll need all the help I can get from you I'm open to suggestions on job assignments so each one can work on the thing you like to do best are there any suggestions now that we know more about you Ben we began to understand you a little better why did they see you one way Ben and not as you really are is it possible that you do not give them enough basis for understanding if we could see you from still another point of view perhaps it would become even clearer Miss Alton evidently sees in you something that many of your classmates do not let's go back again back to the moment when Miss Alon entered the room let's look at this incident from her point of view well here we go go this won't be easy they're not going to like Ben Curtis as their new editor perhaps I shouldn't do this I could still pick Bob Stevens or Jim Garder that's probably what they expect Ben though is better qualified for the job he's not only imaginative and writes well but he's a hard worker and takes his work seriously his ideas are just what this school paper needs what a courageous this youngster he is with his background it's amazing the trouble with Ben is that he needs to join in more than he does he has to let others know him as I know him if I do appoint him as editor perhaps the job will make him do these very things and it would definitely do something for the paper that I know good afternoon it looks as if we have a good attendance for our Press Club meeting still time to change your mind no I made my decision first of all I'd like to make a little statement concerning the selection of our new editor-in Chief since you did ask me to make the selection I can only assume that you expected a selection based on Merit and not necessarily on personality look at them all looking at Bob Stevens he probably thinks he's got it I appreciate your trust in asking me to appoint your editor it was a difficult decision should I go through with it of course I must however I hope my decision will meet with your approval well to end the suspense may I introduce the new editor-in chief of the Southwest High Banner Ben Curtis there I've done it they don't seem to believe me even Ben he doesn't believe it either why should he probably the first good break he ever had Ben will you come up and take over come on up and sh show them you've got what it takes but they don't know that yet I wonder though are they to set against you because you're different if only you'll meet them halfway so they'll really get to know you there are many people like Ben people with problems people that we reject and ignore because we don't understand why they act as they do and because they're different from our idea of friends it's hard for the softspoken to understand the loud mouth it's difficult to understand the shy if you're aggressive those who are physically attractive cannot always appreciate the loneliness of those who are not what about the Viewpoint of Bob and his friends how can they reconcile their present attitude toward Ben with the fact that he will be the new head man of the staff what should they do and Ben how realistic has he been in his attitude toward the others what should he do to increase his chances of succeeding in his new job what about Miss Alton do you think she did the right thing what do you think