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This episode shows a founders day celebration - the first for the Ingalls, and the last that we see. It seems everyone is competitive in this episode. Charles is offended by an older man who claims to be better than him at chopping woods since Charles is just a farmer.

Caroline is worried about winning the pie baking contest. Her competition is Harried, which I find quite amusing. In later episodes, Harriet can't cook to save her life. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but she seems to be really good at a lot of things at the moment.

I won't give the results of the contests, but I'll just say that sometimes it's not about who wins - it's about what we learn from not winning that counts. And I think all the Ingalls learned some lessons along the way. Did Charles do the right thing in the end? Well, I tend to think so.

In a few short days, Walnut Grove would be celebrating Founder's Day, as the episode title states, which means fun, celebration, contests, and lots of hard work. Charles would be looking forward to the latter since he was sure none of the contests could use his abilities. When he arrived at Hanson's, Charles meets Jim Tyler, Edwards' temporary replacement. Tyler was an old-school curmudgeon who really knew his way around the wheel. He was a self-proclaimed expert logger, which he rubbed in Charles' face at every possible chance. Today, Charles and Jim were sent into the woods to cut down some lumber for Mr. Hanson. Now they didn't have no chainsaws back then, so Charles and Jim had to use a cross-cut saw and an ax to chop through them thick old tree trunks. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth they stroked that saw until it was cut clean through. One down, five to go. Now another of Jim's bad qualities is that he brags. When they bring back the loads, Jim took most of the credit, even though Charles did most of the work. To end their bickering, Mr. Hanson decided to hold a log chopping contest at the Founder's Day celebration. The winner would receive a watch, a blue ribbon, and a huge sense of self-worth. Needless to say, after such a big display that day, both men were completely worn out, but didn't let the other one catch on.

With the men and children competing to win first prize, there was no reason why the women couldn't get a piece of the action. Caroline and Harriet would compete in the pie bake-off. This was to be a Founder's Day nobody would soon forget. Well, the big day finally arrived. First came the jump-off: Mary and Laura versus Willie and some unnamed extra children. By a horrible twist of both fate and Mary's ankle, Willie won. Next, Reverend Alden was given the daunting task of judging the pie bake-off between Caroline and Harriet. The winner was Mrs. Grandy. I'm surprised that Harriet's pie was edible, since in later seasons we see that she can't cook to save her life. Next it was the rolling hoops between Laura, Nellie and some other children. Nellie won. Luck sure isn't on the Ingalls' side today, but then when is it? Maybe Charles will have better luck in the tug'o war. On the other side of the mud leading the team, because he was pussy-whipped into doing so, Nels Oleson. Back and forth, back and forth, both teams pulled hard. Nels was the first one into the mud, but then Charles took a header into the puddle, and somehow Nels is declared the winner...maybe somebody should explain this competition to Doc Baker since he obviously doesn't know that the first one into the mud LOSES. Oh well, it was fun anyway. Caroline and Laura found success in the three-legged race. Now, for the coupe de grace: the chop-off. Charles Ingalls vs. Jim Tyler. Young vs. old. Go to it, men! Put the fear of God in those logs! First heat (round) went to Tyler. Heat 2 went to Charles. So as the Ingalls patriarch set about sharpening his ax, along came Helen Tyler, who essentially pleaded for Charles to let Jim win, seeing as how he was always a "bull of the woods" and now he was a tired, stubborn old man who wouldn't admit defeat. Now tell him something he doesn't know, Helen. Anyway, it was soon time for the third and last heat: Charles and Jim chomped at the bit with all of their might. Jim Tyler won...I wonder if Helen's influence had anything to do with it? But hey, it's not about winning or losing, it's about playing the game, taking chances, sportsmanship, yadda, yadda, yadda. What a load. Well, at least Laura learned a thing or two about competition. At least Charles won something: first prize in sanctimony.

This episode was pretty good. It was fun, had a few good laughs and some interesting life lessons. Michael Landon really brought it home, as did Forrest Tucker as the aging bull of the woods Jim Tyler, whom we will never see or hear from again, so I guess Charles came out ahead. This episode closes out Season 1, a nice beginning to a great series. There were good times, bad times, unsure time and downright far-fetched times, but they always managed to pull through. It was a shame Isaiah Edwards wasn't in this episode. I would have loved to see him in the tug'o war and even that chopping contest. I guess Victor French was too busy. So if you like stories about competition and just how seriously some people take it, Founder's Day is for you. Check it out, and check out the rest of Season 1 and the many more seasons to come.

the season 1 finale founders day!! This episode was light and fun and also the only finale that was in this tone all the others were pretty serious. Every body in walnut grove is getting ready for the most famous day "founders day". The day that walnut grove was founded by Lars Hanson. Its a huge day full of games and contests and everyone of the ingalls family are competing at something. Laura:hoop rolling and 3 legged race. Mary:rope jumping. Caroline:pie baking,3 legged race. Charles:tug of war,wood Chopin contest. The episode have a lot of funny moments were almost all futures the Olsen's. This show would not have worked with out them!!! Give this one a look its light its funny and a great way to end the series's first season.

Now continue to season 2. Have fun!!

As I have read in the previous reviews there is one thing that nobody has brought up yet, but I will leave that to a bit later. First off I would like to say that so far in the series since I only recently bought the entire remastered box set, that all episodes have been fabulous even though some feel longer then others, and some drag out a bit long I have loved it, little house season one has been heartwarming, memorable, iconic (in my perspective), happy, homely, thrilling, exiting and plenty of suspense. But this episode it feels like we just need to sit back and relax. But no for me at least, I thought season one would end at a great ending, we we just need to take it all in, I was wrong what started out as a fantastic episode went down severely in the end, in my view at least. To tell you how I felt, I need to tell you about the very old traditional of our protagonist who is superior then the other in many ways, and our underdog who is different (In this case it's age) then the other and we all know who would come out the winner in the end, but obviously our protagonist feels pity on this character near the end, and eventually lets them win. Honestly I hate when they do this. this episode does exactly the same thing. At the beginning we are introduced we are introduced to Jim Tyler and older aging woodcutter (who we never see again, in the rest of the series) who is very Bostrous to Charles about his great success in woodcutting Even at his age and in his past he was Called the "Bull of the Woods" and is determined to beat Charles at the upcoming Founders day wood cutting. Charles at the start starts to envy this man as to Charles he seems so confident and proud of his achievements in the past. And Charles is determined to beat him. But later we learn that Jim is not how he used to be and is actually weaker then Charles, and knows he will not win, even though he tries tiressly to prove a point to Charles that he is still as great as he was formally, which he is now obviously not great like he was. To cut a long story short it's the event of the woodcutting and Jim wins the first round against Charles and a few other men, even though his wife sees he is straining more then the others. Charles wins the next round, and Jim is getting weaker and it's clear to Jims wife and the community of Walnut Grove that Chales would easily win. While sharpening his Axe ready for the final, Charles is approached by Jims wife Helen, and Helen explains to him that to Charles amazement that Jim is weaker and tired then he previously was in his younger years, and Helen convinces Charles to go easy on Jim, basically she is saying to Charles to let Jim win. Obviously Charies lets Jims win by swapping he sharpe new axe with a borrowed old one. Also Jim never lets down that he is still the greatest at wood chopping which makes me really mad. And that's not the start what gets me really mad is how his wife come sand asks Charles. It seems to me that she does not release that Jim used to be the greatest and that it's not time for him to give up his crown. I bet Jim used to win all these competitions, I think it's time for him to get out the woods, hang up his axe and get to a retirement home. That old duck woman does not release that Charles has not won this before, and that he also has kids that would love to see their father win. Nope she does not care about that she wants too be selfish and let her husband continue his reign as supreme. Also she does release that it's cheating, because Charles did not give his full capacity at this event, which is really the whole point when you think about it. I hope that once he gets in a accident one day so he and his wife release that he should not win any more and let other people have a chance instead of him all the time even at his age. I think they would just keep getting way with it.