Students Mourn Death of Mr. Rogers

It was indeed a sad day in the neighborhood yesterday, as TV watchers across the nation mourned the death of Fred Rogers, host of the popular children’s program, “Mister Rogers Neighborhood.”

Rogers died of stomach cancer early yesterday morning at his Pittsburgh home. He was 74.

For over 30 years, Rogers invited scores of young children into his TV living room and took them on a magical trolley ride into the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

What made the show special was not the element of fantasy, but the down-to-earth familiar air that Rogers himself breathed into the program, donning sneakers and a cardigan at the beginning of each episode.

Ever a part of American culture, one of his cardigans—a staple red number—hangs in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Harvard undergraduates, though initially stunned by the news, fondly reminisced yesterday about a man who was a central part of their childhoods.

“He was a great person,” said James W. Murrett ’05. “I liked his message and how he always wore a cardigan. He remained confident throughout the years.”

Murrett added that he was surprised to hear of Rogers’ passing since he had only retired in 2001.

“I was a long-time watcher,” said

Thomas A. Laakso ’05, “but he had a long life, did a lot of good things. It’s too bad to see him go.”

Laakso remembered how, after outgrowing the program, he and his siblings would flip through the channels and watch together for old times’ sake.

Other students had a more passionate connection to Mr. Rogers.

“I loved him!” said Erica B. Zidel ’04. “It is very sad, I watched him all the time when I was little—he was on after

‘Sesame Street’—I used to actually believe he was talking to me specifically. He totally helped my self-esteem.”

Jennifer E. Novak ’06 lamented the loss of an icon.

“It’s sad for the upcoming generation because they do not get to experience him,” Novak said.

Nicole E. Weiss, a graduate student in school leadership at the Graduate School of Education, said she thinks the passing of Mr. Rogers is especially sad for all the children who will miss out on his warmth.

“He was a comforting face that kids recognized; I had the opportunity to learn a lot from him,” Weiss said.

Rogers had a lot to teach, especially because he studied early childhood development at the University of Pittsburgh and consulted with an expert there over the years.

Weiss said she had a special bond with Rogers, a bond she tried to strengthen by writing to him in the first grade and asking him to come to her violin recital.

Rogers wrote back, explaining that they could only be TV friends, but that he was very proud of her.

Weiss still has that letter, and she said she will always remember the many good years of TV friendship they shared.

“I hope the re-runs continue,” she said.

—Staff writer Maria S. Pedroza can be reached at mpedroza@fas.harvard.edu.