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Not to be confused with Little Big Mouse, a Tom and Jerry Tales episode.

Little School Mouse is a 1954 the 83rd one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short.

Plot[]

Jerry begins teaching Tuffy the basics of outwitting a cat by way of a couple of cartoon strips on the chalkboard. The first one demonstrates how the cat chases the mouse and, if he catches the mouse, will eat him. Tuffy begins to cry. Jerry directs his attention to the other picture sequence, which shows the mouse reaching his hole and the cat saying "bad words." Tuffy laughs.

For the next lesson, Jerry shows Tuffy an imitation cat's paw in front of a mousehole facade. He demonstrates the procedure and Tuffy goes into the hole, where he makes a show of looking for danger, walks straight out of the hole and ends up walking on the spot with his tail getting caught in the cat's paw. Jerry isn't pleased, so he has Tuffy work the cat's paw while he gives another demonstration. Tuffy winds the crank with such enthusiasm that Jerry can't get away and ends up flat on the floor like a carpet before the little mouse realises what he's doing. He looks under the paw and twinges with embarrassment, then rushes into the classroom and puts up a CLASS DISMISSED sign. However, as he is leaving the mousehole, he is caught by Jerry by the diaper. Tuffy immediately retreats to the stool in the corner and dons the dunce cap.

Following a lesson book, the mice are hidden behind a sofa, as Jerry attempts to show Tuffy how to pluck a whisker from the cat without waking him up. Using the furniture and the rug as cover, he succeeds in obtaining one of Tom's whiskers and makes it back to the sofa to show Tuffy. To Jerry's annoyance, Tuffy approaches Tom directly, instead of stealthily. His annoyance quickly turns to horror when his young charge returns not only with a whisker, but with a very bemused Tom still attached. Jerry grabs Tuffy and flees back to the hole with an enraged Tom in pursuit. Tuffy reaches the hole first and slams the door; despite Jerry desperately banging on the door to be let in to safety, when Tuffy finally opens the door again, Tom has beaten up Jerry, who tumbles in with a black eye and wearing the lesson book around his neck, making Tuffy realizes what he has done; letting Tom beat Jerry up.

Later on, Jerry having recovered from the beaten demonstrates the next lesson in the book: how to obtain cheese without waking up the cat. Using the blinds as an elevator, a cup and spoon as a rowboat, and a broom as a slide, he succeeds in climbing onto the countertop and reaching a plate with some cheese on it, but narrowly avoids waking Tom when he drops his piece of cheese on his head. Acting quickly, he pulls Tom's eyes shut and soothes him back to sleep. Once back at the hole, Jerry shows his prize to Tuffy before eating it. The little mouse goes out himself and looks up at the plate of cheese on the countertop and then wakes Tom, who looks at him sleepily and helpfully gives him the cheese, too tired to begin a chase. Jerry is dumbfounded as Tuffy returns with the whole cheese, shows it off, and swallows the whole lot at once, causing his stomach to assume a large wedge shape.

Jerry tries to teach Tuffy how to bell the cat in a last effort. By now, Tom is waiting for him, but fakes being asleep. Playing along with Jerry as he ties on the bell, he even conveniently lifts his head up and puts a finger on the knot as Jerry ties it. Jerry signals his thanks before realizing his folly and flees. Tom catches him easily, proceeds to beat him up again and Jerry later makes it back to the hole with the string and bell wound many times around his neck. Tuffy is holding a package wrapped as a present. Tuffy looks out nervously and gulps. He cautiously approaches Tom, who is now fully awake and grumpy and offers him the present. Tom opens it and finds it to be a bell on a string. Delighted at the gift, he points to himself in a "For me?" manner. Tuffy smiles and nods assuredly. Tom puts the bell on himself and thanks Tuffy by gently patting him on the head. Jerry, having ultimately failed, storms off in rage and throws his diploma in the garbage.

In the closing scene, Tuffy is teaching the class. He points to the board, which reads, "Cats And Mice Should Be Friends." Jerry, who is now the pupil and wearing the dunce cap, madly shakes his head saying NO. Tom, happily sitting next to Jerry nods his head enthusiastically at the idea, ringing his bell while doing so. He removes the dunce cap from Jerry and kisses his cheek, much to Jerry's chagrin, then jingles his own bell.

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Gallery[]

Tom and Jerry Cartoons
1940 Puss Gets the Boot
1941 The Midnight SnackThe Night Before Christmas
1942 Fraidy CatDog TroublePuss n' TootsThe Bowling Alley-CatFine Feathered Friend
1943 Sufferin' Cats!The Lonesome MouseThe Yankee Doodle MouseBaby Puss
1944 The Zoot CatThe Million Dollar CatThe BodyguardPuttin' on the DogMouse Trouble
1945 The Mouse Comes to DinnerMouse in ManhattanTee for TwoFlirty BirdyQuiet Please!
1946 Springtime for ThomasThe Milky WaifTrap HappySolid Serenade
1947 Cat Fishin'Part Time PalThe Cat ConcertoDr. Jekyll and Mr. MouseSalt Water TabbyA Mouse in the HouseThe Invisible Mouse
1948 Kitty FoiledThe Truce HurtsOld Rockin' Chair TomProfessor TomMouse Cleaning
1949 Polka-Dot PussThe Little OrphanHatch Up Your TroublesHeavenly PussThe Cat and the MermouseLove That PupJerry's DiaryTennis Chumps
1950 Little QuackerSaturday Evening Puss • Texas TomJerry and the LionSafety SecondThe Hollywood BowlThe Framed CatCue Ball Cat
1951 Casanova CatJerry and the GoldfishJerry's CousinSleepy-Time TomHis Mouse FridaySlicked-up PupNit-Witty KittyCat Napping
1952 The Flying CatThe Duck DoctorThe Two MouseketeersSmitten KittenTriplet TroubleLittle RunawayFit To Be TiedPush-Button KittyCruise CatThe Dog House
1953 The Missing Mouse • Jerry and JumboJohann MouseThat's My Pup!Just DuckyTwo Little IndiansLife with Tom
1954 Puppy TalePosse CatHic-cup PupLittle School MouseBaby ButchMice FolliesNeapolitan MouseDownhearted DucklingPet PeeveTouché, Pussy Cat!
1955 Southbound DucklingPup on a PicnicMouse for SaleDesigns on JerryTom and ChérieSmarty CatPecos PestThat's My Mommy
1956 The Flying SorceressThe Egg and JerryBusy BuddiesMuscle Beach TomDown Beat BearBlue Cat BluesBarbecue Brawl
1957 Tops with PopsTimid TabbyFeedin' the KiddieMucho MouseTom's Photo Finish
1958 Happy Go DuckyRoyal Cat NapThe Vanishing DuckRobin HoodwinkedTot Watchers
1961 Switchin' KittenDown and OutingIt's Greek to Me-ow!
1962 High SteaksMouse into SpaceLanding StriplingCalypso CatDicky MoeThe Tom and Jerry Cartoon KitTall in the TrapSorry SafariBuddies Thicker Than WaterCarmen Get It!
1963 Pent-House Mouse
1964 The Cat Above and The Mouse BelowIs There a Doctor in the Mouse?Much Ado About MousingSnowbody Loves MeThe Unshrinkable Jerry Mouse
1965 Ah, Sweet Mouse-Story of LifeTom-ic EnergyBad Day at Cat RockThe Brothers Carry-Mouse-OffHaunted MouseI'm Just Wild About JerryOf Feline BondageThe Year of the MouseThe Cat's Me-Ouch
1966 Duel PersonalityJerry, Jerry, Quite ContraryJerry-Go-RoundLove Me, Love My MousePuss 'n' BoatsFilet MeowMatinee MouseThe A-Tom-Inable SnowmanCatty-Cornered
1967 Cat and Dupli-catO-Solar-MeowGuided Mouse-illeRock 'n' RodentCannery RodentThe Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R.Surf-Bored CatShutter Bugged CatAdvance and Be MechanizedPurr-Chance to Dream
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