SUMMER 1997

At Home With A Living Legend ¥8 His Eye Was A Camera

+ Victory At Bushy Run ¥8 City Completely Constructed Of Concrete!

Pittsburgh, it becomes clear that the people who are a meaningful part of his life are present. Theirs are the s ries behind the objects with which he surr Facing him as he sits on a sofa is a pair of small, legged chairs, at least fifty years old, sent to his p from a friend in Kobe, Japan. "[The chairs either side of their fireplace in Latrobe," he remembers. H points to a large chair from his father's office at the McFeely Brick Company, a silica brick company founded I his grandfather, Fred McFeely, of which Rogers's father James became president. Near the door, a collection of tapes preserves the many sessions Rogers spent review- ing songs and programs with the late Margaret B. McFarland, a noted child psychologist and director of the Arsenal Family and Children's Center of the University of Pittsburgh, who was his mentor and friend.

Like Margaret McFarland's tapes, another object b an important lesson of the past and is use today. Handsomely matted and framed, the placard b Rogers's trademark "I like you just the way these words of acceptance are heard by more than eight million households which watch Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. The tabletop sign is a gift from Charles P. LaVallee, executive director of The Western Pennsylvania Caring Foundation. The foun- dation, of which Rogers serves as honorary chairman, was begun in 1985 to provide health care coverage to western Pennsylvania children who might otherwise fall through the cracks of the health care system.

Not only are the people of Fred McFeely Rogers's life present in his office, but they are literally in his back pocket. Rogers t his wallet. "I carry lots of friends," he says. Surprisingly, they

are standard-size prints. People and relationships play such a large part in his life that Rogers evidently finds it too difficult to squeeze them into the smaller wallet-size photo holders. People emerging from

ted concert pianist whom met at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida; his sons Jamie and

hn with their families; and the children of friend Yo Yo Ma, the rid renowned cellist. Asked if he considers himself a Pennsylvanian, Rogers responds

enthusiastically, "Absolutely." He tallies the number of years he has lived in the Keystone State since his birth in Latrobe, Westmoreland County, on March 20, 1928. Except for college, several years in New York, and one year in Canada, he has lived most of his sixty-nine

in Pennsylvania. Today, Pittsburgh is his home. When asked memories of places, he mentions several buildings and hou

tial. "What's most importa individual responsible

dren's television? such fond memories of so

In 1940,I remember the census [for teachers as well as friends

to play golf and I always say "one of us ated with a hour. I would rush over to the

did a lot more with it than the other."

Rogers, playing with his grandson television" was starting in P Alexander (facing page), firmly believes children need to be respected.

gram for the Presbyterian Church, day before graduation, I got a call The many faces of Mister Rogers (facing

that they didn't have enough page): Backstage with a little friend, and

mount a children's television pro discussing a script with Chuck Aber and

The day after graduation, I got a Betty Aberlin.

the Canadian Broadcasting Corp [CBC] in Toronto saying "Would come up here and do a program pletely scripted thing, which my parts on

I said yes. It was up there that the Neighborhood aren't-[are influenced

to me, "We've seen you talk wi by sense of place.] And, as I sit down and

We want you to be on camera.' write the Neighborhood, I bring all of my

early years, those eight years wi story with me. But isn't that so? You bring

Children's Comer, I wasn't seen at your childhood to your work. All the

it was at the CBC that I first lo association. In fact, I think that's a very

camera and said, "Would you important thing to remember about tele-

a tiger who lives there in the vision. Each person brings his or her own

see an Eiffel Tower and hear story to what they happen to be watching

talk?" The man [Fred Rainsberry] who ogers lived until I was about six or at the moment. And children will bring

put me in front of the camera died just a seven years old. Then my dad had two concerns that adults have worked

few months ago, and so I was up there sisters and a brother, and they all lived in through, hopefully. I remember one time seeing a cartoon in which a diver goes

for the weekend and was able to spend Latrobe. So the whole family was there. down to the bottom of a lake and pulls a

e e e e e e e e e e e * plug and the water of the lake goes down

theiilikl^t &the this supposed drain. Well, it also pulls down a boat with somebody in it, and it

that it's thi' spiiit, starts to suck down the walls of the lake as well. I thought to myself, "That had to have been created by somebody who had-

some time with his widow. But aside

Pennsylvania. Many, many years. This is dren experience your pr where the Neighborhood's really been.

to another, and you have no idea how our children lit up when they saw that you. were in the new place too." I thought that was wonderful. [Our program] was one sta- ple that the children had. Even if they went from Pennsylvania clear to Califor- nia, they were able to turn on the television and find that the Neighborhood was there, too. Our Neighborhood was right there.

How does sense of p l a c e your hometown experience- influence your television pro-

I think it has to. I think any- thing that-unless it's a com-

Oh my. Just being here and doing my job.

Millions ot people go to worK ana ao their job. There must have been some- .

thing to distinguish your work

Well, maybe because I was here at the beginning. I really was here before this station even went on the air. And;if you work at something long enough and you do a decent job, I think you're making history. We have worked at children's programming for a long time. Since the

Attuned to the needs of children~as well as to the child within-Rogers plans a puppet show with Chrissy Thompson (left}. He believes in bringing "your childhood to your work."

use everything that had been given to so they got him a quarter-sized c me in this life if I hadn't come upon this rented it-and some lessons. He' realization that it can all be used in the twelve. He's still taking lessons and so is service of children and their families. his mother because she used to have to

practice with him and she got interested How did you come to that realization? in it. But Yo Yo loves what he does. I 4

When I was at the seminary I took a course in counseling, and the professor said we were to work with one person at least once a week for the whole semester.

of an adult, and he said, "So

were so succe

28 -

hope that you'll remember even when I'm getting to like quiet the best of all. And now he's watching that program you're feeling blue, that it's you I like. More and more, I find that the quiet is with his son. I was very touched by that It's you yourself. It's you." becoming a luxury for many people, and letter. We have wonderful letters. Do you

I find that really sad. Most people use know about our new book [Dear Mister You believe television is a personal things like the media to fend [off the] Rogers, Does It Ever Rain in Your medium. Why? quiet. We need to be quiet with our- Neighborhood?]? It's letters from the chil-

Early on, Leland Hazard, one of the selves. I go to a gas station that has a dren and some of our replies.

people who started this station, said, "You radio station playing right beside the

put a television screen in a schoolroom pumps in speakers. But doesn't that say What Changes have you seen take place

and everybody in that room thinks that something about us? That, as a society, during your long career in television?

that one person on the screen is looking at we can't stand silence. I think that the advent of Laugh-in did him or her. It's not the same way with a the country a real disservice. The televi- live person." I thought a lot about that. I Do you hear *'Om your viewers often? sion have been one of ^e pa tes t think that's fascinating. You look at the Yes. I had a card this morning. It's a teaching tools that ever landed in any television; I look at the television; and post card, and it looked like it was from nation. But it's been used as a selling we're at a different angle. Yet, if some- an elderly man. It just said, "How tool . . . the fast pace through sophisticat- body's looking right at the camera, it People Make Flashlights." I thought, ed editing. In fact, I had a vision of ask- looks as if he or she is looking at you. It is "That's a really good idea." We do a lot ing every producer if each year they very curious. It's a very personal medium. of factory films, as we call them-how would make every scene that they do I think it's a lot more personal than radio, people make different things-for the just five seconds longer, and do that even though I like radio a lot better. Neighborhood. We answer every letter every year. Maybe we'd get back to some

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e s-t~asfarasflow.Butthequick~ace

Do you know what would be a perfect quote? . * t

is everywhere. You hear me talk about quiet. It's reflected in everything that I

e . try to do. a Pen~sylvanian. Does children's television have more

that comes here. That's why we some- "quiet"? times get behind. We want to be as per- I hope so. We need to respect the sonal in our communications as we PO$- When we tan, about sibly can be. I could not answer the television, anybody who is a producer or

packaged for you. But really good ra kinds of letters that we get with a purveyor of children's television needs some form letter-"Thank you for to say y^gg words Ittchildrenlsrr and can let you use your imagination. your letter. I wish you well. "television"], and remember which word Good-bye.''-because some peo- comes first. We need to do our level best pie just pour Out their hearts in understanding children. We can be us the For some artists in television, but we need first to reason they trust us. be understanding of children and what

I had a letter this morning they bring to the television set. What a man said that he kinds of concerns they bring . . . There

was from a very abusive are general concerns, general growth and he me what tasks that everybody has to go through.

the Neighborhood had meant to Mrn' That he go in a 1s there anything that you haven't done

O m a'1 that you'd like to do? and he remembers

k every time Oh my. I always thought it would be

hearing us fun to write a Broadway musical because

"people can I love to write music. Last year I took a

like you refresher course in New Testament

exactly as Greek, and that was very helpful. I had

you forgotten so much Greek from the serni- nary. If I had the time I think I'd like to

J have a refresher course in Hebrew.

On the road (again) with Mister Rogers:

& Fred Rogers tours the kitchen of Barbara Smith's popular New York City restaurant, B. Smith's. No matter where he travels, he always finds people to be the most important part of the places he visits.

Fred Rogers offered FOR FURTHER READING

his insights for Pennsylvania Burnett, Frances H. The Secret Garden.

Heritage's readership New York: Harper Collins, 1985.

during an interview conducted in July 1996 Collins, Mark, and Margaret Mary Kimmel.

by magazine editorial Mister Rogers' Neighborhood: Children,

assistant C h L. Curlis. Television, and Fred Rogers. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1996.

DiFranco, JoAnn, and Anthony DiFranco. Mister Rogers: Good Neighbor to America's Children. Minneapolis: Dillon Press, 1 983.

Rogers, Fred. Dear Mister Rogers: Does It For what would you most like to be from Williams College, Williams town, Ever Rain in Your Neighborhood? New remembered? Massachussetts. An editorial assistant for York: Penguin/ 1996.

Do you know what would be a perfect t k Pennsylvania Historical and Museum quote? T,-, want to be re_-,m,,er.-, a Commission, she has served on the staff of -. Special: *wds of Wisdom

Pennsylvanian. [Laughter] Pennsylvania Heritage since 1994. fro* America's Most Beloved Neighbor. New York: Viking, 1994.

The editor gratefully acknowledges But is it true?

hnsyluania's First Lady MicheleM. Ridge S t t i n t - E x u ~ , Antoine de. The Little I'd really like to think that in some for arranyng this interview with Fred Prince. San Diego: Harcourt Brace and

way I've nourished children and that McFeely Rogers. Company, 1993. I've helped in their becomings. =#

The author and editor wish to thank David Neivell, director of public relations/or

Carrie L. Curtis, a devoted "neighbor" of Family Communications, Inc., Pitkburgh, Mister Rogers through childhood, resides in producer of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Lemoyne, Cumberland County. She holds a for his assistance in scheduling this interview. bachelor of arts degree in American studies