The College will honor
the memory of the man who brought honesty and gentleness to generations
of television neighbors at Commencement on June 15.
Fred Rogers, producer and host of Mister
Rogers' Neighborhood, the longest-running show on PBS, had agreed to be the
speaker and accept an honorary degree from Union. He
died on Feb. 27 at the age of 74 after a brief
battle with stomach cancer.
Instead of the usual Commencement address, a group of Union students
will read aloud selections from Rogers'
writings, lectures and television scripts to convey some of the words that he might
have delivered himself. His widow, Joanne, is to accept his degree, an honorary
doctor of letters, and speak briefly.
For details on Commencement, visit here: http://www.union.edu/Commencement/2003/
“To honor the life and work of a man who has meant so much
to so many is the right thing to do,” said Union College President Roger H. Hull.
“I feel strongly – and our students agreed – that while we cannot enjoy the
company of Fred Rogers at Commencement, we can use his words to convey his meaningful
messages about kindness, compassion and learning. All the things that Fred
Rogers stood for – especially his strong advocacy for children and his passionate
belief that television can be an instrument of nurture – will long be
remembered.”
Rogers began his
career in the 1950s as a puppeteer for “The Children's Corner,” a TV show for
which he created many of the characters he would use on “Mister Rogers'
Neighborhood,” the show he started in the early 1960s.
He was executive producer and he wrote every script for more
than 900 shows, the last of which aired on August 31, 2001. The longest running program in PBS history, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood continues in reruns.
“An accomplished musician, Rogers was also
the composer of more than 200 songs and had a live band play during his
programs.
In 2002, the ordained Presbyterian minister came out of broadcasting retirement to record public service announcements telling
parents how to help children deal with the anniversary of the September 11
attacks. The same year, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President
George W. Bush. Rogers was known for his trademark cardigan sweaters, one of which is on display at
the Smithsonian Institution.
“I got into television because I hated it so,” he once told CNN's Jeff
Greenfield (Union's Commencement speaker in 2002). “And I
thought … there's some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture
to those who would watch and listen.”
About 600 students are to receive their degrees at Union
College's Commencement. The
ceremony is June 15 at 10 a.m. in Library
Plaza.