Rogers celebrates 30 years of good neighbors

PREVIEW
	Mister Rogers' Neigh-borhood PBS Weekdays

Think back to when you were four years old. Life was good. No midterms. No jobs. No responsibilities.

We all certainly had very different daily schedules, but there was one activity many of us had in common: getting up early, sitting in front of the television in our zippered footsie pajamas and watching Mister Rogers.

It was 30 years ago this Thursday when Fred Rogers first appeared on PBS with "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." In celebration of this anniversary, a special week of programming is being broadcast on PBS with the theme of "Giving and Receiving."

A wide variety of topics have been covered in 30 years of this program, but the message Rogers sends to children always remains the same. He repeatedly talks about making kids feel important and loved - and his message is well-received.

"When I used to watch Mister Rogers I just did it to be entertained," said LSA first-year student Ashley Scott.

"But now that I think about it that show did wonders for my self-esteem. A lot of our society's problems stem from people's lack of confidence in themselves and Mister Rogers helps fight that."

Rogers also provides a good basic understanding of problem-solving skills, how to deal with unwanted feelings and a variety of other skills that even adults can learn from in today's extensively busy and stressful world.

Of course, these educational lessons are always presented in a fun way, often in the form of a song such as "What do you do with that mad you feel?" and "It's you I like (it's not the things you wear)."

It would certainly be unfair to undermine the importance of the pure entertainment value of the show as well as its educational value. Rogers' simple act of taking off his shoes and changing sweaters at the beginning and end of each show has served as entertainment for many youngsters, while at the same time subtly reinforcing the idea of having a daily routine.

Even more entertaining have been the supporting characters, both human and imaginary. It was always exciting when friends came to visit, especially famous guests who appeared at Rogers' doorstep.

Cameo appearances have been made throughout the years by many well-known personalities including Tony Bennett, Captain Kangaroo, Bill Bixby and PBS neighbor Big Bird.

And no one could forget the "Neighborhood of Make-Believe," the land where the trolley led viewers to visit King Friday, Queen Saturday and all the other puppets.

"The 'Neighborhood of Make-Believe' was so thrilling," recalled first-year Engineering student Brian Maci.

"It was like being transported to a whole other world that I could only visit for about 10 minutes each morning."

Rogers has become disillusioned by much of what is popular for children to watch on television today. He has spoken negatively about the influences of high-energy and violent programming which he feels gives kids the wrong ideas about how to interact with others and solve problems.

Despite the popularity of more action-packed shows today, no children's television program has been in existence as long as "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," which reaches over 7 million people each week. It is rather amazing to consider that the show already has reached children for three decades.

Rogers' vast accomplishments have been recognized in many ways, most recently when he received a star on Hollywood's "Walk of Fame" last month.

In 1996 "TV Guide" listed him as one of the 50 greatest TV stars of all time. He's also received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Daytime Emmys and the National TV Critics Association.

Because of the compassion, strength, positive affirmation and entertainment Fred Rogers has provided to so many viewers, it really has been a beautiful 30 years in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

02-17-98