Mr. Rodgers

By Jak 

“You’ve made a special day today,  you know how by just your being your being you there is no one in the whole world just like you and I like you just the way you are” -Mr. Rogers 1928-2003  

      In Latrobe, Pennsylvania a town known for its’ industrial climate, Fred Mcfeely Rogers was born. Fred was born with asthma, a breathing complication causing him to be unable to go outside due to the poor air quality in the town. This caused Fred to feel very isolated. Fred then went to high school where he gained a sudden confidence boost. Which caused him to be more outgoing and he became involved in his community. 

     Through his work in the community Fred became involved in children’s education and entertainment programming. Fred was displeased at the way children’s television addressed children. Which inspired him to create his own children’s television program. On February 19, 1968 the first episode of Misteroger’s Neighborhood later renamed Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood aired on television. The show follows Fred’s everyday life in a small neighborhood learning common preschool things but unlike other shows Mr. Rogers Neighborhood taught kids more heavy subjects such as assassination, divorce and much more.  The show’s episodes basically followed an A plot and a B plot set up. The A plot consists of Mr. Rogers learning about something such as how macaroni is made. The B plot often put in the late middle of the episode, follows Imagination Neighborhood, where one of the series mascots, Daniel tiger and friends solve problems.  

 In one episode called Learning, in the Imagination Neighborhood an invention was made that teaches everything a student needs to know just by wearing a hat. However, there is a disagreement when many teachers say field trips are more effective. The student council is a mess, lots of arguments, the voting all comes down to Daniel Tiger. When he says “well, why not both?” and boom plot solved. 

 Mr. Rogers had many jobs in his life including puppeteer, actor, singer, composer, author, and educator. On august 31st 2001 Mr. Rogers neighborhood stopped making new episodes and retired because of his failing health. 

On February 27th, 2003 Fred Mcfeely Rogers died of stomach cancer. Mr. Rogers lived a fine life, sorrow and happiness light and dark , but in the end all things must come to an end. In Pennsylvania, a statue was built in memorial of him. As we end this story may is just say “won’t you be my neighbor”. 

Credit to: biography.com YouTube Wikipedia