wfn.org | Mr. Rogers to air final new episode of 'Neighborhood' on Friday

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6815 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

27-August-2001
01297

Mr. Rogers to air final new episode of 'Neighborhood' on Friday

Program that taught values to children will live on in reruns

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE - When Presbyterian minister Fred Rogers welcomes youngsters to
his neighborhood later this week, he'll be doing so for the last time during
a new episode of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

On Friday, Aug. 31 - after 33 years of teaching values to children - the
last original installment of "Neighborhood" will air on PBS affiliates
across the nation, completing nearly 1,000 episodes. After that, public
television's longest running program will live on through reruns.

"For over 30 years, public television has given us the opportunity to
communicate with children and their families," Rogers said. "Our
'Neighborhood' and our viewing 'neighbors' have grown in many different
ways. Nevertheless, our original purpose remains: to encourage human beings
to be honest with themselves and with each other, and to become convinced
that each one of us is a unique and precious part of our world."

There will be nothing particularly special about the final installment as
Rogers - who was ordained in 1962 by Pittsburgh Presbytery - will enter his
cozy home as usual, hang up his jacket, don his red zip-up sweater and trade
his loafers for a pair of comfy blue sneakers. In Friday's show, Mister
Rogers and Mr. McFeely sing the "Speedy Delivery" song, and then Mister
Rogers hangs up his sweater one last time. "I like being your television
neighbor," Mister Rogers says before singing the show's traditional
concluding song. "Be back next time. Bye bye."

As is his custom, Rogers, 73, creates a week with an overriding theme. This
time it's celebrating the arts. There's no reference in these episodes to
the series ending. Though production of the daily show ended in December,
Rogers has made it clear that he is not retiring.

His production company, Family Communications Inc., is creating books for
children and adults, adding to its Web sites (www.misterrogers.org and
www.pbs.org/rogers) and developing training workshops for those who work
with young children.

"This is not in any way a retirement where he's out taking an extended
fishing trip," said the Rev. William P. Barker, a retired Presbyterian
minister, a longtime friend of Rogers' and the puppeteer behind the
program's Dr. Duckbill Platypus and Elsie Jean Platypus. "He's developing
other ways of continuing the ministry of Family Communications Inc. Good
things are in store for the future."

Rogers is a native of western Pennsylvania who grew up as a member of
Latrobe Presbyterian Church. He now worships at Sixth Presbyterian Church, a
300-member congregation in Pittsburgh, PA. His wife is an ordained elder
there, and the couple's two sons attended confirmation classes and youth
group there.

For eight years during the 1950s, Rogers gave up his lunch break to attend
Bible and theology courses after first putting in a work day at WQED in
Pittsburgh, the station where "Neighborhood" is taped. He had planned to go
to seminary right after college - in fact had been accepted - but got
sidetracked by a call to work in television.

In 1953 Rogers was invited by WQED to co-produce a daily program called "The
Children's Corner." He never appeared on-screen, but worked behind the
scenes as the program's organist and puppeteer.
The experience convinced him that he had a future in children's TV. "I
realized that's where my talents were," he said. He took classes at
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and graduate courses in child development
"to deepen what I could bring to television."

After moving to Canada to create a 15-minute children's show called
"Misterogers," he returned to WQED to develop a new half-hour version of
"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." PBS began distributing it nationally on Feb.
19, 1968.

Rogers has never served in the traditional role of pastor, but through
television he has conveyed his simple message of affirmation and acceptance
to a "congregation" of millions.

"This is a recognition that we'd been doing something right," Barker said.
"To put it in theological terms 'This was carrying out Christian ministry
all throughout the years.' Although there's a time to hang it up and calls
it quits, we're doing so with some mixed feelings, but at the same time also
knowing this was good. And it's relief for Fred. It's time for him to
consider other ways that he can reach out to people. And he's doing that."
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