The Waltons - Season 8 (1979)

John has to prove he graduated from high school in order to continue getting contracts and security for government contracts. Mary Ellen becomes the nurse for the mountain folk when Nora is called into the service.

The parents who work at Picket's defense plant leave their children in the parking lot while the parents work. Olivia wants to open a day care in Picket's bar room for the workers. Ike learns to dance.

Film makers film a documentary at Picket's Plant and make Erin the "star". She thinks she might have a future in movies; one of the assistants gives her the truth. The Baldwin sisters host a dinner for the soldiers. Jason helps.

John-Boy is still missing, but a publisher has his journal and wants to publish it. It is told from a soldier's point of view. John and Olivia have to decide.

Ashley Longworth Jr returns to the mountain. He proposes to Erin and she accepts. Problems arise when he says he does not want to be married in a church. Serena (Rose's granddaughter) follows Elizabeth all the time.

A soldier is sending his wife mail, but getting no replies. Olivia looks into it and finds something bad happened to the wife. Corabeth Godsey learns she will receive an inheritance. It is not what she expects.

John-Boy is no longer missing in war. He is in a coma in a hospital in Alexandria. John and Olivia go to see him. Rose is left at home to make the Thanksgiving meal and tries to cheer everyone up.

Jim-Bob helps a newcomer, the wife of an Air Corps pilot, refurbish an old cabin and finds himself falling hopelessly in love.

A run (on foot) and ride (on horse) race is being held. Mary Ellen and Erin bet two guys that they will win. Elizabeth becomes a taskmaster in training Mary Ellen and Erin. Jeffrey gets a signed picture from a movie star.

A series of thefts worries the community. Jeffrey makes friends with a mysterious visitor (Ned Bellamy) on Walton's Mountain. He's an escaped German prisoner. Corabeth's holiday pageant is canceled.

Corabeth tries to sell a book at the store about being a perfect wife. She gives Cindy a book. She tries to follow all the instructions and ends up exhausted. Jeffrey and Serena find a pregnant cat and want to keep her and the kittens.

A soldier in Jason's company is Jewish. He tells the Waltons what is happening to Jews by the Nazis. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is getting teased for being such a smart student at school.

Elizabeth is fascinated by the new schoolteacher, a modern thinker who dares to teach her students where babies come from. Cindy is reaching the final stage of her pregnancy.

Jeffrey and Josh steal from Ike's store. Josh gets caught. Ben decides to enlist in the service even though he is exempt due to working at the mill.

Grandpa's Cousin Zadok pays the family a visit to settle his affairs. At Camp Rockfish, Jason tries to break the ice with an officious female sergeant.

Mamie Baldwin refuses to have cataract surgery, so Grandma moves in with the Baldwins and shows them what it is like to be blind. Elizabeth starts seeing Drew (Tony Becker).

John thinks about giving up the lumber mill when it seems like everything is going wrong. Jeffrey builds a soapbox and enters a race.

A former boyfriend and dance partner of Rose's comes to visit. Rose and Stanley Perkins resume their relationship. The open road still calls out to Stanley. Meanwhile, Jeffrey has a new dog who is in the teething stage.

John-Boy is released from the hospital and returns to Walton's Mountain. Ike is arrested for draft evasion.

Mary Ellen receives a medal that was awarded to Curtis after he died. A former friend of Corabeth visits; he and Corabeth begin to see each other. Ike is concerned.

Jim-Bob's class is graduating and he has the high grade. He is the valedictorian. His class prepares a graduation ceremony that is fitting for war time. (June 1944)