Have you ever heard of Fred Rogers? You probably have, although you might know him better by the title of “Mister Rogers”, which he used on the show he hosted for over thirty years. I look up to Mister Rogers and consider him a role model, so this is my tribute to him and the amazing work he did in life.
Rogers was born in 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. From a young age he went to church with his family and used music to express his feelings; both of these would later play major roles in his life’s work. Although he was loved by many later in life and spent much of his life in front of a camera or a live audience, he was bullied at a young age and was quite shy in high school. Once he felt accepted by his schoolmates, however, he started doing more extracurricular activities and making friends.
For college, Rogers attend Dartmouth for a few years before transferring to Rollins and studying music; he graduated in 1951 with a degree in music composition. Shortly after graduating, he became interested in television, particularly for the educational opportunities it offered. He began working at NBC in New York the same year he graduated and spent several years there before moving to WQED in Pennsylvania and working on a variety of programs for children.
Despite becoming an ordained minister in 1963, Rogers decided to continue working in television rather than work at a church (although he continued attending church). In 1968, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood premiered and eventually became his most iconic work. Through his show, Rogers taught children important life lessons while keeping them entertained through wholesome, family-friendly programming. He never shied away from talking about difficult issue such as divorce, crime, or the many fears kids have about the world. However, he also avoided dwelling on negativity and encouraged everyone to look for the helpers who show up whenever something goes wrong.
Both on television and in person, Rogers never passed up a chance to be a friend and mentor for kids or adults in need of someone who cared. He spent his life showing the power of kindness to a weary world and touched countless people with a message of love. Many people have wondered if he was being himself on his show and in public appearances or simply putting on an act. Those who knew him personally affirmed that he was always genuine and Rogers gave his answer that question in this article published near the end of his long career in television:
“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.”
In that same article, I think Rogers also indicated his reason for dedicating his life to helping people and being a friend to kids who needed one: his own upbringing. He enjoyed spending time with his family and appreciated the love they showed him as well as everything else they did to give him a good start to life, so naturally he wanted to do the same for as many people as possible. Television provided him the perfect medium to pay it forward and be a good neighbor to everyone watching.
As a minister, Rogers no doubt would have been familiar with what Proverbs has to say about soft answers turning away wrath. He demonstrated the truth of this when he appeared before Congress in the hopes of getting money for his show. Senator John Pastore was in charge of that hearing and, despite acknowledging his reputation for being a “tough guy”, was so moved by Rogers’ testimony that he gave him the money he wanted. Additionally, despite his tremendous accomplishments and the worldwide recognition he gained over the course of his life, Rogers remained humble. Even when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in television, he kept the focus on the people in his life who loved him and helped him get to that point; he also asked those watching to think about the people in their lives who did the same for them. In both of these instances, his example of humility and gentleness spoke much more powerfully than any verbal instruction ever could. He did, however, make use of more focused lessons, such as this story about an interaction between himself and his grandson; this showed that while he made mistakes like everyone else, he also owned up to them and did his part to make things right again.
I’m so thankful that I got to be Mister Rogers’ television neighbor while I was growing up. Now that I’m much older and have learned more about the world, I appreciate his kindness, love, and gentle yet profound lessons even more than I did as a kid. Although he died from stomach cancer in 2003, he still inspires me with the legacy he left behind. Whenever I think of him, I’m motivated to do better and help others where I can. I’ll close by sharing the farewell message that he recorded for everyone who grew up watching his show. Rest in peace, Mister Rogers, and thank you for being my neighbor.