The other day I heard a child singing “Row, row, row your boat,” and I couldn’t help thinking of the delightful version of that song that Fred wrote for King Friday –
Propel, propel, propel your craft…
Gently down liquid solution.
Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically,
Existence is but an illusion!
Fred loved introducing his viewers to “big” words. Yes, he did speak in simple and clear language that could be easily understood by his young viewers, but at the same time, he knew how important it is to enrich their vocabulary. Fred didn’t “dumb down” the language. He raised it up.
Transition Times
February 2024: The other day in the dentist's office, I found myself quoting a Fred song - "I like to be told." I was thanking the hygienist for letting me know what to expect, each step of the way. As Fred sang, "It helps me to get ready for all those things that are new...I trust you more and more..."
January 2024: We live in a world where we've come to expect instant gratification. We expect immediate answers to our emails. We expect next-day deliveries for our online orders. We expect our microwaved food to be ready in seconds. No wonder we get upset when we have to wait.
A Special Gift for Mr. McFeely...and messages for us all
December 2023: This month the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is giving a special gift to our very own "Speedy Delivery," David Newell, whom we all know as "Mr. McFeely." We're proud to announce that David will be inducted into the National Academy's Gold Circle at the Emmy's Children and Family...
Your financial support of the Institute helps us expand our initiatives and resources so that educators and children's helpers can continue to learn and grow from Fred Rogers' legacy. Thank you!