Mister Rogers: How Fred Rogers Brought Happiness to the Neighborhood

The most common feature of today's popular TV programs is their ability to attract the attention of their viewer and hold it for 30 to 60 minutes. In the realm of children's TV, this is especially important as the viewers tend to have rather limited attention spans. There are many tools which TV show producers can use to obtain and maintain interest: upbeat action, catchy lines, quick cuts from scene to scene to keep the viewer alert, and, in children's shows in particular, bright colors and loud scenes. These have become the cornerstones of success for today's television. However, there is one show which seems to break every standard set thus far, and its popularity is unparalleled. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was never flashy, never loud, and never particularly catchy. It conflicted with nearly every rule set for the production of children's television. However, millions of children were and still are drawn to it for a plethora of reasons. Fred Rogers, producer, writer, and star of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, employed various techniques which, though strikingly different from the norms, were remarkably effective. He covered topics which are still central to children's lives today: acceptance and love of others, dealing with feelings and fears, managing everyday responsibilities. The impact of his work is shown through the vastness of awards and honors he received in his lifetime and also through the attributes found in the children who watched his show on a regular basis.

Fred Rogers took a risk when he began producing Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1966 (he produced a few forerunners, but this was the premiere of the fully developed show which we know and love today). He had a degree in music from Dartmouth, a degree in divinity from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 15 years experience in the television industry, and a completely different approach to children's television programming (Lewis). Instead of developing new ways to draw interest, he focused on bestowing attention on his viewers. He created a sense of interaction with the children who watched his show through various mannerisms. He looked directly into the camera, as though he were looking into the eyes of each child viewer. His speech was slow and distinct, which worked for him in two ways. First, it ensured that young children could understand him as he spoke and second, it allowed them to mimic his pronunciation as they developed their language skills and expanded their vocabulary. He employed the second person form of you when speaking: "You know, you can always help to make each day a special day by just you being yourself." This direct communication allowed children to feel that he was speaking to each of them individually. This manner of presentation, if not treated carefully, could run the risk of sounding condescending but Rogers' sincerity and true concern voided out the possibility of any hint of patronization (Spitz).

Many people remember the songs of Mister Rogers. These songs were simple enough for children to comprehend and oftentimes memorize, but held a lot of weight and focused on many of the concerns which children hold. Some examples:

"You've Got To Do It" teaches kids the importance of persistence and alludes to the rewarding feeling of accomplishment that accompanies the completion of any task.

"You've got to do it. / Every little bit / You've got to do it, do it, do it, do it / And when you're through, / You can know who did, / For you did it, you did it, you did it. / If you want to ride a bicycle / And ride it straight and tall. / You can't simply sit and look at it / "Cause it won't move at all. / But it's you who have to try it." (Fam Com)

"You Can Never Go Down The Drain" addresses a common childhood fear that one will be washed down the drain along with the water and soap bubbles. With this song, Rogers' reassures children that not only is the bathtub a safe place to be, but by bringing up the issue, he lets them know that there are people who they can trust with their fears.

"You can never go down / Can never go down / Can never go down the drain. / You can never go down / Can never go down / Can never go down the drain." (Fam Com)

Though some of these may seem silly to us older children, Rogers realized that they were common fears and feelings for his young viewers. These songs, all written by Rogers himself, helped children accept, understand, and cope with the subjects they addressed. In addition to a wide scope of themes, his songs also included a variety of musical types, from jazz to classical to folk. This eclectic assemblage allowed children to accept many varieties of music as their own. As the well-known cellist and "Neighborhood" musical guest Yo Yo Ma puts it "That's so important in our sometimes divisive society where you have this kind of separation of art: 'This is my music, not yours. I don't like your music.' In this Neighborhood, all types of music are included, so it's every child's music." (Zukerman 84)

Perhaps the most memorable tools which Rogers employed in his show were the puppets: X the Owl, King Friday, Lady Elaine and Daniel the Tiger. Crudely handmade and pitifully amateur in nature, Rogers used the same puppets throughout the entire airing of his program. He explained that the puppets were simply designed to inspire and encourage children to make their own at home so that they could participate in their own "Land of Make-Believe." They acted as models of preferred behavior for children through the stories they played out and the lessons they learned (Linn 90-92).

The puppets are not one-dimensional; however, each does hold a set of exaggerated traits often found in children that dominates his or her character. Daniel is primarily uncertain and fearful, the most childlike character. Through him, children realize that to be afraid is not such a shameful thing. Episodes which focus on Daniel and his fears also teach kids coping mechanisms so that they will know what to do and who to turn to when they are afraid. Lady Elaine represents the sometimes over-curious and impatient nature of children. Her curiosity often conflicts with her impatience as she can oftentimes not wait to know the answers to her questions. Scenes involving Lade Elaine show how others deal with her impetuosity. She is neither rewarded nor punished for her behavior so children learn what is acceptable without fearing what may happen if they swerve off course. X the Owl is the embodiment of awkwardness. He confuses his words, moves without grace, and blushes around females. He warns children that growing up can be difficult but the love he is given from other characters reassures them that they will receive the same regardless of how their development may affect them. Finally, King Friday is self-centered aspect that creeps out of every child at some point. He is "the imperious two-year-old announcing 'I want that!'" Though his world revolves around himself, the rest of the Neighborhood continues running autonomously, showing children that everyone in the world has his/her own interests regardless of what their own might be. Collectively, the puppets' and characters' mutual love for one another shows that all can be loved and accepted despite any flaws (Linn 94-98).

Rogers' puppets play a key role in presenting the themes and topics of each episode. One of the issues Rogers' focuses on is helping children to comprehend and express their feelings. This message can be seen in the behavior of the puppets. The puppet characters are encouraged by fellow cast members to talk about their feelings and they are always rewarded for doing so. No expression of emotion is ever criticized or punished, regardless of whether the sentiment expressed is of a positive or a negative nature. Seeing the support that these puppets receive in their emotional expressions, children feel bolstered to do the same. The puppets' vocalization of fears is treated in a similar matter so as to become another model for children. As was mentioned before, the puppet Daniel has many fears. For instance, in one episode, Daniel tells Lady Aberlin, another character, about his fear of Santa Claus.

"LADY ABERLIN: I've got some very special news for you...Santa Claus is coming to the Neighborhood of Mark-Believe.

DANIEL: Santa Claus? What's he going to do to us?

LADY ABERLIN: Oh, well, I imagine it will be something good.

DANIEL: Oh. I try to be good. But I'm not always good. Oh. I think I'm afraid of Santa Claus. I wish he weren't coming here." (Linn 93)

As the scene continues, we watch as Daniel's fear is neither ridiculed nor encouraged, but acknowledged and he is given help to deal with and overcome it. This lets him (and, more importantly, the children watching) know that he can and should trust others with his concerns without worrying about being treated condescendingly.

A specific feeling which Mr. Rogers' helps children deal with is the concept of love. He emphasizes the idea that all people are worthy and capable of love. Not only does this reassure children that they are, in fact, loved and appreciated for who they are, but also encourages them to bestow on others the same uninhibited love and respect. During each episode, Rogers visits with several "neighborhood friends." These friends vary in race, religion, occupation, and age, and Rogers treats them all equally, showing the same care and interest in what each one brings to his show. The colorful blend of real-life characters that Rogers incorporates into the program alerts children to the diversity in their own world. Rogers' unbiased treatment of each person is a model for his viewers, letting them know that we are all equal and we can all be friends-important lessons for young, impressionable minds.

Another crucial concept for children that Rogers' helped them grasp is how to handle complex matters such as death, divorce, and war. Delicate and difficult matters when it comes to children, Rogers handled explanations of these tribulations with the gentlest of kid gloves. He knew that these events, among other serious matters, confused and frightened children and he believed that it was important for adults to help children understand and cope with them. He felt that there was no topic not "manageable and mentionable" and so he approached discussion of these tragedies with the same calm and sincerity that was his trademark. We can see an example of this in part of his monologue from an episode which confronts the issue of divorce:

"'Did you ever know any grown-ups who got married and then later they got a divorce?' he asked. And then, after pausing to let that sink in: 'Well, it is something people can talk about, and it's something important. I know a little boy and a little girl whose mother and father got divorced, and those children cried and cried. And you know why? Well, one reason was that they thought it was all their fault. But, of course, it wasn't their fault.'" (Lewis)

In addition to these weighty but less common issues, Rogers' show also helps children with the everyday parts of life.

"For example, knowing how hard it is for kids to learn how to tie their shoelaces, he would tie his own at the beginning of every program, without fanfare, just letting the camera zoom in. Likewise, knowing how children tend to overlook their daily responsibilities to their pets, he would sprinkle fish food into an aquarium on the set each day..." (Spitz)

By integrating these seemingly simple and rudimentary tasks into his show, Rogers subtly shows children their significance.

Thus far, we have seen examples of the lessons and ideas Rogers' attempts to impart on his children viewers through his show. We may ask now "Is there any proof that he accomplished his goals?" Well...there is some. In his lifetime (and even after it), Fred Rogers received over 200 awards and honors, including nearly every major award in children's television. He received four Emmys: Outstanding Writer in a Children's Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming, Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series, and-the kicker-Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also granted the Presidential Medal of Freedom-the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a civilian-and the Living Legend Award-recognition from the Library of Congress for "enriching our national heritage." The Carnegie Science Center also named a minor planet after him. As if these honors were not enough, over 30 universities-including Yale-have presented Rogers' with honorary degrees (Fam Com).

Furthermore, in 1973, researchers L.K. Friedrich and A.H. Stein conducted a study on the effects of television programs on young children. Some of their findings are as follows:

"Children who watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood were more likely to be able to demonstrate self-control when faced with delays of some sort, such as waiting for materials or waiting for adult help and attention.

"Children who watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood demonstrated greater ability to concentrate on projects and to stick with an activity even when it was somewhat difficult.

"After viewing Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, children were more able to verbalize their feelings.

"Overall, viewers demonstrated a diminished level of physical and verbal aggression as a result of watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." (Fam Com)

Though slightly dated, Friedrich and Stein's research gives more scientific proof to back up the positive effects that watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood can have on children.

After discovering the wealth of wholesome goodness that is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, from the virtuous lessons it presents, to its popularity in children (and adults-TV critic David Bianculli says "adults who long ago had 'outgrown' the Neighborhood of Make-Believe delight in returning to it as parents...by introducing Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to children of their own." (46)), to the tangible impact of the show on our society and our children, we may find ourselves wondering why no one has dared to endeavor to recreate this childhood wonder in a similar program for today's youth. The positive effects of such a show are undeniable and success with viewer's, based on viewing records of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, is nearly guaranteed. So why the hesitation? Most would say that few embody the sincerity and absolute genuine concern that Fred Rogers held. It was his true empathy for and love of children that turned him into a sort of surrogate TV father for children everywhere. He set a fairly high standard and anyone even considering becoming his predecessor-or some variation thereof-would have enormous shoes to fill. As a younger child, I myself enjoyed all the wonders of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. As an experience viewer, I feel comfortable enough to speak for most of my generation when saying, perhaps the reason why no one has attempted to take the place of Mister Rogers is simply because no one can.

Works Cited

Bianculli, David. "The Myth, the Man, the Legend." Collins and Kimmel 37-49.

Collins, Mark, and Margaret M. Kimmel, eds. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood: Children, Television, and Fred Rogers. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh P, 1996.

Family Communications, Inc.. 2003. Family Communications, Inc.
4 Apr. 2005 .

Lewis, Daniel. "Mister Rogers, TV's Friend For Children, Is Dead at 74." The New York Times 28 Feb. 2003, Late ed., sec. A: 1.LexisNexis. 4 Apr. 2005

Linn, Susan. "With an Open Hand." Collins, and Kimmel 89-99.

Spitz, Ellen H. "The Magical Neighborhood of Mr. Rogers." Chronicle of Higher Education. 28 Mar. 2003: B16. EBSCOhost. 4 Apr. 2005

Zukerman, Eugenia. "Musical Notes." Collins and Kimmel 79-87.