Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family. /// With the activities of the Smith family during 1903, Alonzo Smith (Leon Ames), a banker, might need to move the family to New York. This distresses his daughters, Ether (Judy Garland) and Rose (Lucille Bremer), who have their eyes set on a couple of young men. Esther has decided to marry "the boy next door," John Pruitt (Tom Drake), even though they have not yet met, while Rose is attracted to Warren Sheffield, and a bit impatient because he has not proposed.
"Rose Smith, we can't go on like this any longer. I've positively decided we're going to get married at the earliest opportunity and I don't want to hear any arguments. That's final. I love you. Merry Christmas." - Warren Sheffield
Elwin Kettle might win a scholarship to an agricultural college. Essay contest judges Mannering and Crosby decide to choose between the two finalists by spending a weekend at the home of each. Pa makes numerous cosmetic improvements to his rundown home to impress the judges, but all wash away in a torrential rainstorm. Will the judges still award the scholarship to Elwin?
