A beautiful day for a neighbor,
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty,
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.
So let’s make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we’re together, we might as well say,
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Won’t you please, won’t you please,
Please won’t you be my neighbor?
It's a beautiful day in every neighborhood graced by the gentle, nurturing touch of Fred Rogers. Being national "Getting Ready for Kindergarten" month, it's that time of year when we celebrate the life and love of the man who dedicated his career to preparing children make the big transition to kindergarten -- which means it's also time for our annual Mr. Rogers Red Sweater Day tribute.
The Man
A pioneer of children’s television programming, this gentle educator, youth advocate and ordained minister became an American icon during the three decades his Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood show ran on PBS. He received numerous prestigious awards in recognition of his work including the United States’ highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and his trademark red sweater is displayed in the Smithsonian.
The Show
(excerpted and edited from Wikipedia)
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood began airing in 1968 and ran for 895 episodes. Visually, the presentation of the show was very simple, and it did not feature the animation or fast pace of other children's shows, which Rogers thought of as “bombardment.”
- Each episode began the same way with Mister Rogers entering his home singing his theme song "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" and changing into sneakers and a zippered cardigan sweater
- In a typical episode, Rogers might have an earnest conversation with his television audience, interact with live guests, take a field trip to such places as a bakery or a music store, or watch a short film
- Typical video subjects included demonstrations of how such inanimate objects as bulldozers and crayons work or are manufactured
- Each episode included a trip to Rogers' “Neighborhood of Make-Believe” featuring a trolley with its own chiming theme song, a castle and the kingdom's citizens, including King Friday XIII
- Typically, each week's episode explored a major theme, such as going to school for the first time
Mr. Rogers believed in portraying himself as he was, both on-camera and off, stating, “One of the greatest gifts you can give anybody is the gift of your honest self. I also believe that kids can spot a phony a mile away.”
He wanted to teach children to love themselves and others, and he addressed common childhood fears with comforting songs and skits. For example, one of his famous songs explains how a child cannot be pulled down the bathtub drain because he or she will not fit. He even once took a trip to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to show children that a hospital is not a place to fear.
During the Gulf War (1990–91), he assured his audience that all children in the neighborhood would be well cared for and asked parents to promise to take care of their own children. The message was aired again by PBS during the media storm that preceded the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the year of his death.
The Legacy
The Facebook page of the former states, “The organization that Fred led for more than 30 years continues to advance his values and philosophy through a variety of media projects that support children, parents and professionals.”
The mission of the center dedicated to his name and example is “Communication, Collaboration, Creative Change: Staying true to the vision of Fred Rogers, and emulating the guiding principles of his life’s work, the mission of the Fred Rogers Center is to advance the fields of early learning and children’s media by acting as a catalyst for communication, collaboration and creative change.”
The Tribute
In loving gratitude for Mr. Rogers and his indelible impact on our lives, iLivediLoved invites you to join us for Mr. Rogers Red Sweater Day, August 17th, 2012.
Warmly,
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