Little Sally dancing around the maypole, while Papa Don Draper watched little Sally's teacher
with thoughts of "ruining da teacher."
That scene was gorgeous with the kids dancing and they beautiful colors and then Don just
honing in on The Teacher and did not even look at
little big-girl Sally. Will Don "pop da teacha?"
Sexy-tary

All of the above, Betsy! I first thought "the decay of NYC", but you brought up a lot of valid points.
Sexy-tary: I got the feeling Don was evaluating the teacher to get an idea for the Diet Soda ad....only because dancing around the maypole was innocent-looking and not overtly sexy i.e. Ann-Margaret. The teacher is fresh and young and barefoot and that idea might appeal to both men and women in an ad. Just a thought.

Hey the teachers look did not not seem very "period". She almost seemed hippie like.....Any thoughts on Don "skimming the grass"? Lil Bobbys face/smile was scary!!!

Hey the teachers look did not seem very "period". She almost seemed hippie like.....Any thoughts on Don "skimming the grass"? Lil Bobbys face/smile was scary!!!

I thought it was about Don, again, attempting to do the loving and responsible thing for his wife. Their relationship is in fact ruined, you can't really come back from an affair and her humiliation. Don doing what he normally would have no interest in is his way of attempting "love among the ruins".

I wonder if the fresh-faced, barefoot, unsophisticated-looking teacher reminds Don of someone from his rural, Depression-era past. His rural ruins, so to speak.

Another ruin: Margaret's wedding, scheduled for the day following the JFK assassination.

Yet another: The looks exchanged between Joan and Roger, and when he referred to her as "Mrs. Harris."

I didn't think the look had to do with "Mrs. Harris." The look was before that and I think referenced the cold shoulder Betty showed him. It was embarrassing to all who witnessed it. Betty, and Don, it seems, and probably everybody else at SC are angry with Roger for leaving Mona and taking up with the young, snotty, secretary. I think Betty sees Roger as a bad influence on Don and doesn't want anything to do with him. She barely looked at him and everybody could see how she snubbed him. The look Joan gave him was "well, that was embarrassing, but what do you expect? You made your bed..."

A little off topic, but someone I know worked at Ted Bates and said Matthew Weiner worked there in a junior position in the creative department. Is that true? Makes sense for him to depict situations where he has actual experience. I worked for major advertising agencies in the 60's and he appears to know a lot about advertising. Pus he is so totally involved in all aspects of the show.would he really depend on his advisors for this much background information? If this is true, why doesn't he ever mention his advertising experience.

I thought Betty's snub of Roger was more related to his completely tactless "Grace Kelly swallowed a basketball" comment. Personally, I would have decked the lout.

Yeah, but he has always been a smart alec. The only thing new is his marital status. She might also still be thinking about when he came over and made a pass at her. Plus, she was in a foul mood before he showed up.

Betty has never liked Roger. Leave us remember that in Season One he hit on her.

I like what everyone's come up with about the "Ruins"--I very much took it to be NYC given Don't comment about how the city is a crumbling ruin.

This whole episode is about seeking out young love in the midst of old "ruins." It's about seeking out renewal, having love for the future, again, very much as Don says in regards to Penn Station. Ann Margret's youth that captures everyone, Peggy trying to prove that she's still youthful enough to bag a college boy, Don's being captured by the "Spring-time" teacher dancing with the children after having to deal with Betty's decaying dad.

The teacher, by the way, is not a hippie (she's at least 3 years too early), but she certainly predicts that the hippies are on their way--a future where the youth of America will all go barefoot and wear flowers in their hair ;-)

Don's touching the grass, is I think, a way of him trying to feel what the barefoot teacher is feeling under her feet.

Hi Thirteen!
I agree with you. The Maypole teacher is not a hippie. She is probably an art teacher, and is dressed up like a "Mother Nature" type character. The costume she was wearing symbolized Spring/May 1st and reverence of nature.

I agree with your interpretation of Don feeling the grass too. I think he was enjoying the feeling of the cool grass, amybe the frredom of it. If he could have, my guess is he would have taken off his shoes!

I must be getting tired....maybe the freedom of it is what I meant to type. I would never get a job at Sterling Coo as a secretary!!!

Betty no longer feels the need to patronize Roger, now that there is a new hierarchy at Sterling-Cooper. The night he came to dinner at the last minute, she defended her behavior to Don that she was being nice to him. "He's your boss," she said. That being said, Betty was cranky with everyone. Maybe her pregnancy gives her license.

Betty and Roger Dodger "play" with each other--after he tried to make out with her - in that previous episode, and big daddy Don caught on, she had to
show remorse to get out of the dog house with Don.
(imagine that)? Don the cheater.
I love being a sexy-tary.