Wednesday, March 26, 2003

A tribute to Mr. Rogers

By GREGORY K. MOFFATT, PH. D
Child's Play

In February, Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood passed away at age 74 after losing a battle with cancer. Mr. Rogers has always been one of my heroes.

He was an unlikely idol - meek, unassuming, and certainly not apowerful presence. He wasn't a media hound and rarely found himself in the news, but whenever he was asked, he shared his humble opinion about children, families, television, and life. He was one of television's most gentle, innovative, and committed men to the betterment and education of our children.

I didn't watch Mr. Rogers when I was a child, but I clearly recall the first time I ever saw his program. I was a graduate student working on my Ph.D. in psychology and I came across Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood while watching TV one day. I had heard of Mr. Rogers, of course, and because of my interest in children and children's programming, I decided to watch for a few minutes.

He pulled on his familiar sweater (knitted by his wife) and slipped on his tennis shoes as the show began and then he sauntered to the fish tank where he fed the fish. For several minutes he watched the fish and talked to the viewer about fish, caring for animals, and life. I was amazed that such a simple program could be so captivating.

Mr. Rogers broke the modern rules for children's television. He never resorted to computer imagery, fancy scene changes or complicated sets. His program consisted of simple puppets, props, models, and guest stars that joined his mild-mannered crew each week.

When he began his show in 1963, it was a low-budget production and there were no computers for fancy technical changes. Over time, as children's television changed, relying heavily on action, big productions, fancy costuming, and elaborate puppets, Mr. Rogers chose to remain the same.

He wasn't stuck in a rut, though, as some might have alleged. Instead, he was innovative. He knew he could produce a show that was of exceptional quality for the age group to which he focused without relying on loud noise or fancy effects. His purpose was more than keeping a child's attention. His primary purpose was to teach. Anyone could create a children's program or cartoon by changing scenes every few seconds, relying on special effects, bright colors and noise.

I am often exasperated at the drivel that passes as entertainment for children. Unlike those cheap and visionless programs, Mr. Rogers used skill, thoughtful skits, simple songs, and captivating dialogue to maintain hisaudience's attention. It takes far more talent to entertain children in this format.

I respect Mr. Rogers because he presented himself and his characters in away that demonstrated that it was acceptable to be gentle and kind, to use good manners, and to be patient. I respect Mr. Rogers because he was never touched by scandal and he never stooped to the level of his near-sighted critics who made fun of his low-tech programming He had a vision and he quietly laughed off the critical comments of his detractors. Deep inside he knew who he was and what his vision was. No critic could sway him from his focus.

The world is now a lesser place because of his passing. I doubt there will ever be another man like Fred Rogers and I'm quite certain nobody will everbe able to pull off the genius of a program like he did with Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. It was the longest running show in PBS history, taping its last program in September 2001. What a legacy.

Mr. Rogers once said he never thought of himself as a TV star. "I always thought of myself as a neighbor who came to visit," he said. This was indicative of his character.

Farewell, neighbor. You will be deeply missed.