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B.U. Bridge is published by the Boston University Office of University Relations. |
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A wonderful day in the BU neighborhood: Fred Rogers' retirement from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, announced in late August, prompted us to look back at a visit he made to the BU campus. On May 17, 1992, Rogers -- an ordained Presbyterian minister, television pioneer, and host of what is today deemed the longest-running children's show in PBS history -- delivered the Commencement Day Baccalaureate sermon and was awarded an honorary degree. An overflow crowd packed into Marsh Chapel and listened as Rogers spoke of the lives of children who had been touched by watching his show. Then he asked the graduates, "I wonder what will be in store for you and what you will make of it. Who will help you? What will you do about your hard times? How will you respond to your successes? In other words, what kind of a person will you be? On the average, each of you has about 20,000 days left to answer those questions, and each will answer them in a unique way." Although Rogers, who is now 73, is hanging up his Neighborhood sweater, reruns of the show will be aired for a year without repeats, and Rogers will lend his voice and Land of Make-Believe characters, such as King Friday XIII, Daniel Striped Tiger, and Mr. Skunk, to the PBS Web site. Photo by Kalman Zabarsky |
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September 2001 |