The Learning Tree

In 1920s Kansas, a group of African-American boys, Newt Winger (Kyle Johnson), Marcus Savage (Alex Clarke), and friends steal apples from Jake Kiner's orchard. When Jake confronts them, he is beaten and left for dead by Marcus, who later is sent to jail for his actions. Newt, despite escapades like ending up in a barn during a tornado with a local girl, does well in school and aims to go to college, with the encouragement of Principal Cavanaugh (Russell Thorson). Newt begins working for Jake to make amends and starts a relationship with Arcella Jefferson (Mira Waters), but their romance is destroyed when Chauncey Cavanaugh impregnates her. After Marcus leaves jail, he works as a janitor at a brothel, and Newt witnesses the brutal attack and murder of Jake by Booker Savage, Marcus' father.