~a name is a name and that one belonged to me~

The latest writing assignment that I have given my students to work on has been to tell about their favorite TV show to watch when they were 5 years old.  It's been a popular one with them and with smiles on their faces, they have eagerly begun the writing process.  As is often the case, one of them asked me what my favorite TV show was when I was a little kid.  It didn't take long to remember.

It was Romper Room.

My younger sister and I watched that wonderful show when we were little 5 and 3-year old children.  We had only one television set at home, an old black and white Zenith with a very tiny screen.  But that old TV  was big enough for us to watch it and to enjoy a fun-filled program that was broadcast out of Wichita, Kansas on KAKE TV.

Miss Beverly was the hostess and for an entire 30-60 minute span of time, viewers were transported to that special place where children could learn and have fun at the same time.  There was no mention of whether or not the program met all of the state standards of education for my home state of Kansas but that is another story.  It was on all the time and when it was, you could bet that we would be watching it.

Miss Beverly was always so beautiful, wearing a lovely dress and heels with her hair perfectly coiffed.  She smiled a lot and forever appeared perpetually happy that she had the chance to be the hostess.  There were always little children on the set and perhaps it was the early 1960's version of a pre-school.  Those 4 and 5-year olds were very well mannered and even though they could get a little rambunctious on the set, they always calmed down when Miss Beverly called them to order.  I smile at the thought.

They always said the Pledge of Allegiance right off the "get go" and just like today, some of the kids still mixed up their right and left hands.  But it didn't really matter.  Miss Beverly would just go over and gingerly switch everyone to the right one.  It all worked out.  The show taught manners and morals though songs and dances.  Books were read to the kids and yes, just like today some of them had trouble sitting still.  

My favorite part was always when Miss Beverly would do some kind of arts/craft activity.  I loved to see her draw things on the big easel with what always looked like brand new crayons.  Sometimes she would even cut things out and glue them onto the paper.  I am positive that I sat there mesmerized by it all.  I'm not even sure why that was my favorite part.  I think I liked the idea of always having the fresh school supplies to do it with.  Growing up in a household of 7 children, it was always difficult to locate a crayon that hadn't been already used up or broken in half.  

     

They had cookies and milk for a snack and they always said a prayer before they partook of the them.  Sometimes  Mr. Do-Bee would come to visit to teach them lessons of character and what they should do in certain situations.  Equal time was given to Mr. Don't Bee as children learned the wrong way to do something.  There was a whole lot of moving going on as I recall with the children up and about marching around.  Mr. Music was always there to set the background songs into motion.  As I sit here and type these words, it all makes sense now.  Romper Room and Miss Beverly had it right.

The show always ended with Miss Beverly looking through her magic mirror and saying those famous words.......

"Romper, stomper, bomper, boo.  Tell me, tell me, tell me, do.  Magic mirror, tell me today.  Did all my friends have fun at play?"

And then she would look through that special mirror and call out the names of all the children that she saw through it.  It seemed like I waited through a thousand shows before she ever said she saw "Peggy" but once I recollect that she did.  I remember laughing and waving to her as if she could really see me.  I always wondered how she did that.  Did that magic mirror really work?   I didn't realize that the only way you could get your name called out was to mail in your name to the TV station.  Some other little girl named Peggy must have had her name sent in.  It didn't matter to the little 5-year old I used to be.  

     A name is a name and that one belonged to me.

     Thank you Miss Beverly and Romper Room, too.

The kids of the kindergarten class at Burrton (KS) Grade School, 1960-61 had their own version of Miss Beverly.  We loved Miss Josephine Marmont and she loved us right back.  The little tiny girl named Peggy is on the front row, right in front of her.