OT: this makes me sad :(

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 6:20 pm

I still have fond memories of the Crayon factory clip.

Orange crayons, yay!

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 6:25 pm

On 2003-02-27 18:54, dakotamouse wrote:
I wasn't a follower of Mr. Rogers. I was a Captain Kangaroo kid.

In my younger years I watched both.

On 2003-02-27 19:18, bdatki wrote:
I always enjoyed when he showed clips on the TV of various things being made, although I will confess that some of the puppets scared me.

"Picture Picture" was great, and so was most of the Neighborhood of Makebelieve, Lady Elaine Fairchild notwithstanding.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 6:35 pm

Remember Lady Elaine's voyages to "The Planet Purple"? All the pictures she brought back were completely purple. She would point at them and describe everything.

You had to use your imagination to see anything in them. It was absolutely brilliant.

Post by **Dale** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:23 pm

Fred Rogers was the subject of some ridicule precisely because he was a consistently nice human being who was fully committed to his philosophy of gentleness in human interactions. Truthfully, he had remarkably solid understanding of child psychology and exceptional gifts for intuiting children's fears and responding to them.

One episode was, more or less, Mr. Rogers going to the local preschool to visit. However, the real purpose was to address the nervousness and fears of children who are about to go to school for the first time. It was a work of genius. He anticipated all of these childhood fears which we rarely think of now that we are adults. He took great pains to show the bathroom and toilet and to elicit reassurance from the teacher that if he, Mr. Rogers, needed to go to the bathroom while he was visiting that there would be a place to go. Of course, what he was really doing was indirectly (and therefore more effectively) reassuring the children in the audience that there would be a place to go to the bathroom. We take it for grants kids would KNOW that. Of course, they don't.

My favorite Fred Rogers story, however, was "Mr. Rogers Gets a Haircut," designed, of course, for dealing with childhood haircut anxieties. His ample training in Freudian psychology working, Mr. Rogers says, at one point..."Now, you aren't going to be cutting off any part of me other than hair, right?"

That's right Mr. Rogers.

Rest in Peace.

Dale

McHaffie · Post by **McHaffie** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:31 pm

A very good man indeed. I sure remember all the episodes I watched growing up, and I too loved the trolley especially!

Dale sure hit everything about Mr. Rogers right on the spot. I too wonder if people really understood just how much children were impacted by his genius?

I'm sure his travels are peaceful from here on out.

Goodbye Mr. Rogers. We'll all miss you.

John

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:32 pm

I'm so glad to hear you say that,
Dale. Now I can get a haircut.
It's been 60 years. My wife says
I need one. Thanks!

spittin_in_the_wind · Post by **spittin_in_the_wind** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:03 pm

I loved Mr. Rogers. I always thought he was talking directly to me through the TV, and of course, he was. He was like a favorite uncle.

Rest in peace, neighbor.

Robin

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:07 pm

My kids(in their mid-twenties now) grew up watching Mr. Rogers. It was one of the few shows that I wanted them to watch. Good for them , AND, his voice was like a sleeping pill for me- I could get a nap!

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:18 pm

Men like Fred Rogers are an ever-increasing rarity in this crazy world, and I am saddened by his passing.
I'm sure I owe a great deal of who I am to his influence on me during my childhood.
Nobody will ever be able to fill the void his passing has left.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:20 pm

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 10:35 pm

I didn't grow up with Mr. Rodgers, but when I was working in child welfare, we often discuss why young children found him so captivating. He was the perfect adult for them, someone that provided enough routine for the child to feel safe in exploring a few new things each show. How he taught the value of diversity in his little skit with the planet purple ... if everything is the same then you end up with a blank picture. How people, including ourselves, are more than and appearance. He also amazed us in that he didn't try to push kids to be older. He kept things simple and focused on communicating to kids, pre-schoolers. Sesame street was great, but it was designed for a wider audience and included a lot of material that only elementary school kids would understand.

We also discussed that keeping a pre-schooler's attention for a half-hour or so was great for the kid's parents or care givers giving them time to get other things done without the child feeling ignored.

His program was a contribution to family life and the growth of a lot of kids.

I think he'll enjoy his new neighborhood...

amar · Post by **amar** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 9:02 am

he died? oh my... I watched his show in the early 70ies...loved it.

markv · Post by **markv** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 9:12 am

On 2003-02-27 19:20, TelegramSam wrote:
I still have fond memories of the Crayon factory clip.

Orange crayons, yay!

I have similar fond memories of that clip. The one where they showed saxophones being made actually made me want to play saxophone. When I got to fourth grade I did and played it for the next 16 years.

Thank you Mr. Rogers

Mark V.

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 9:57 am

The world is truly a bit smaller without Mr. Rogers.

It seems that these days our grown up society relates to children in two conflicting ways: Entertaining them and keeping them out of our hair, while continually pushing them to be something that they just might not be ready to be. With the resulting over-stimulation and lack of stability, love, and peace, it's no wonder so many of our kids are screwed up.

Fred Rogers was one of the few people with the courage and patience to bridge this gap. I remember him as a kid. His show was not as exciting as the cartoons, but I liked it better in a way--it was peaceful. I never felt like he was "teaching" me. He was just telling me things that I knew were good things to know. (I, too, remember the saxophone episode) I have always enjoyed the parodies on Mr. Rogers, but I have a feeling he did, too. He was honest. He did his thing and was himself, whatever anyone else said or thought. He inspired kids to do the same.

In our world of fast food, junk food entertainment, and superficial achievement, kids of all ages need to know they are loved. They need freedom to be kids. They need to have the world Shared with them by someone who is just as fascinated by it as they are, not Forced upon them by frantic teachers and parents who are worried about college scholarships and test scores.

God, give us more people like Fred.

Tom

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 9:59 am

Isn't this sad news?

My kids grew up with Mr. Rogers too. They especially liked the trolley. Even my hubby would come into the room to watch when the trolley was on.

Kathy