Continuity mistake: In earlier episodes, we are told that Gomer can't do mechanic work. He just pumps gas and air: "There's no charge for air; air is free; we don't make no charge for air." But in this episode, Gomer has become an ace master mechanic.
The Darlings Are Coming - S3-E25
Continuity mistake: When Briscoe gets into his truck, his hat is wet from dipping it (5x) in a horse trough. The camera cuts away to Andy and immediately back to Briscoe, whose hat is now dry. Also, "she's always hood for 11 hat fulls," yet Briscoe only puts 5 hats of water in his engine.
Continuity mistake: When Barney disguises himself as an old woman, in the very first shot he's wearing a dress with lace and tiny flowers, but in all the following shots it's an entirely different dress with large groups of flowers. (00:17:40)
Andy and Opie, Housekeepers - S1-E23
Continuity mistake: When Aunt Bee leaves the house holding her suitcase, in the interior shot the suitcase lid faces out as Bee exits the front door, but in the next exterior shot the suitcase now faces the opposite way (note the rivets) as Bee continues to walk out the front door. (00:04:05)
The Education of Ernest T. Bass - S5-E4
Continuity mistake: In Season 3, Mountain Wedding, Earnest T knows how to read and write. He writes a letter to Andy and uses a rock to throw it in. In The Education of Ernest T Bass, we are told that Ernest T cannot read nor write.
Andy and the Woman Speeder - S2-E3
Continuity mistake: When the woman speeder is seen, she is wearing sunglasses, which are gone in a later shot.
Continuity mistake: In this episode, Ernest T writes Charlene a love letter. In a later episode when Ernest T goes back to school, it is revealed that he can neither read nor write.
Mayberry Goes Hollywood - S1-E13
Continuity mistake: Barney's fancy new uniform has a badge on it when he first models it for Andy. During the ensuing festivities, it's missing.
Aunt Bee's Medicine Man - S3-E24
Continuity mistake: The pillow on the right side of the couch is there while Opie is talking to the Colonel. When Andy walks around after Opie leaves, it has suddenly disappeared. (00:16:00 - 00:18:00)
Continuity mistake: When Otis makes up a poem about jumping rope, Barney lets go of the rope and Andy is left holding the other end while the rope is left stretched across the floor. One second later when Opie and his friend come running in, Andy is now holding the rope in his other hand all rolled up.
Continuity mistake: The fuel pumps at Wally's gas station (regular and super) switch sides between numerous episodes.
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the show, Andy notices a wanted poster on the office bulletin board and tells Barney that he had learned from news accounts that the wanted person had been captured. Barney removes the poster and places it in a file cabinet. The next day when Roger reports for duty, he and Barney are looking at the bulletin board and the wanted poster is back up.
Answer: As noted in the previous answers, in real life, things like this provided wind and/or rain deflection, and also maintained a bit of privacy when blinds were raised somewhat. The interior courthouse set was located in the studio, so the "outside" Main Street didn't exist. I believe these things were added to the courthouse windows for practicality, to avoid some crew movement being visible on the opposite side of those windows. These are not "window boxes" to hold anything, as they're actually bottomless; we can see the Venetian blind's long pull cords under them. They're made of plywood and simple to build, so the "material and labor" was inexpensive. Similar variations made of different materials are in other movies/shows. In 1957's "12 Angry Men," textured chicken wire glass panels are in the jury room windows, and in "Jesse Stone: Night Passage" another type is in Jesse's office windows.
Super Grover ★