Remembering Romper Room

Today, I’m remembering Romper Room. Do you remember Romper Room the children’s television series of the 1960’s and 1970’s? The program was about preschoolers, children five years of age or younger, set in a classroom setting. Each morning, young children sat in front of TV sets everywhere, watching and learning. My children loved it, singing the songs and participating as though they were there.

Romper Room was called “an actual kindergarten” and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. The teacher and children would then embark on 30 minutes of games, exercises, songs and moral lessons, accompanied by background music. The teacher and/or children would say, “Mr. Music, please.” prompting the music to play. It was all about manners and teaching children to be polite, almost a lost concept today. Remember the “Romper Stompers” worn on the feet, as the children paraded around tables to the music? Every child who watched, had to own a pair.

On Romper Room, a snack of milk and cookies were served with all the table manners in place. Before eating, the now famous Romper Room prayer (“God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food. Amen”) was recited by all, including my children.

And then there was Mr. Do-Bee, an oversized bumblebee who taught the children appropriate behavior. I still remember him saying, do be a “Do Bee”, giving some action that was preferred, such as, “Do Bee good boys and girls for your parents!” I remember his counterpart, “Mr. Don’t Bee” to show what the children should not do. “Pop Goes the Weasel” was the theme song, with the Jack-in-the-box used for opening and closing the program.

At the end of the show, the teacher would look through the “magic mirror” (an open hoop with a handle, like a hand mirror) and say, “Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, have all my friends had fun at play?” She would then name make-believe children magically seen through the TV, “I can see Jane and Bobby and Julie and Timmy and John and Kristin and James and Jennifer and I can see you.” Did she see you, or your children?