It's a sad day in the neighborhood

By Crystal Smith

What American child born within the last 30 years cannot at least faintly remember Lady Elaine, King Friday, Queen Sara, Henrietta Pussycat, Prince Tuesday, X the Owl and, of course, Mr. Rogers? Whether an avid fan or an occasional viewer growing up, almost everyone has memories of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Fred McFeely Rogers, 74, left this life last month after a brief battle with stomach cancer, but he will never leave our hearts.

Who was this man with such gentle power that presidents and preschoolers alike were captivated by his cheerful countenance? What was it that endeared him to us and us to him?

Maybe he truly understood children, and that, no matter how old we grow, we are still children at heart. The basic human needs to be loved, to belong and to be safe were modeled on his television program for millions of children for three decades.

Senior Caryn Trotman's most vivid memory of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood is of the trolley and the puppets. "I was blessed to grow up in a family where I knew I was loved and valued, so it was normal to me; but I can imagine that to someone who came from a broken home, how much his words would mean to them," she said.

Sophomore Rebecca Webb remembers watching Mister Rogers and taking her shoes off and putting them on just like him. She also remembers his soothing voice.

Junior Reba Hofer recalls the unique quality of the show. "It was different," she said. She remembers it as being in a separate category than other children's shows.

Hofer also said that she has a lot of respect for the way Rogers valued children.

These responses from students are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding Rogers' impact on society. He excelled as a mentor because he excelled at being a child of God.

Rogers was born on March 20, 1928, in Latrobe, Pa. He grew up with a strong sense of personal worth instilled by his parents and grandparents, a legacy he would pass on to not only his own children, but a whole nation of children.

In 1951 he graduated from Rollings College in Winter Park, Fla., with a degree in music composition and got a job as an assistant producer at NBC. In 1952 he married his lifelong love, Joanne Byrd. In 1953 Rogers started a children's program called "The Children's Corner," which served as the foundation for his later show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," which began in 1968.

When he was not taping "The Children's Corner," Rogers was busy with other pursuits, including attending the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Child Development and the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary-where he graduated and was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1963.

Rogers was never one to flaunt his faith. He just quietly but purposely lived out his love for God in his love for others. In an age that has become increasingly harsh, his caring words have called us to remember the simple things of life. His is a voice that calls us back to the things that really matter. He gently reminds us to love ourselves and others and to treat each other the way we like to be treated. That is, after all, what Jesus instructed his disciples (as children of God) to do.

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