Recollections of Old TV Shows - "Romper Room"

Before "Blue's Clues," before "Barney," even before "Sesame Street," there was "Romper Room."

"Romper Room" was a live-action activity show for young children, which took place in a kindergarten-classroom setting with actual children - that is to say, not actors - and a "teacher," Miss So-And-So. Well, not literally Miss So-And-So. Something like Miss Jean or Miss Frances. The names of these teachers - and there were several over the show's run - escape me. Actually, "Miss Frances" does ring a bell.

The show ran from at least the early-1960s - possibly earlier - until well into the 1970s, maybe even into the 1980s. By that time, I had reached legal - if not mental - maturity. So I'm not sure when it finally bit the dust. Supposedly, from what various websites indicate, it aired either as a syndicated show or as a franchise effort throughout the country. And according to at least one website, there was even a Japanese version. In my area - Greater New York - it was broadcast on Channel 9 WOR-TV.

If I remember correctly, each show began with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance - with the words "under God." Bear in mind that this was before all the hullabaloo over separation of church and state. Besides, this wasn't a government-run school. So it wouldn't have applied to them anyway. But I digress.

Besides the regular activities, which included various exercise routines, each episode had a segment in which Miss So-And-So would greet various viewers - by first name only - via her magic mirror. She would hold up a mirror to her face, and would gaze into it. Then after some psychedelic-spiral special effects, the glass part of the mirror would be gone - picture just an open circle with a handle - and she would recite several names. ("I see Jimmy and Bobby and Susie and Billy ...") It was spooky if you heard your name read on TV. ("I see Engelbert ..." "Wow! Miss So-And-So saw me!")

Many of the show's activities had an accompanying song. I'm going to botch them up for sure, but I vaguely recall the lyrics to some of those frequently-performed ditties.

• "The Do-Bee Song": This song featured the show's signature character, Mr. Do-Bee, a smiling bee mascot - in its hand-puppet form - to teach youngsters etiquette and good manners. Only this example sticks in my mind:

  "Do be a plate cleaner
  Don't be a food-fussy"

• "Bend And Stretch": This song was sung during the exercise routine which entailed the children to - you guessed it - bend and stretch.

  "Bend and stretch
  Reach for the stars
  Here goes Jupiter
  There goes Mars"

  I think that the next verse was something like:

  "Bend and stretch
  Reach for the sky
  There's a meteor
  Going by"

• "Punch-A-Ball": The punch-a-ball was a large, heavy, bead-filled balloon with a rubber-band attached to it, which was used as exercise equipment. To the accompaniment of the song, the children would hold the rubber-band and would punch the balloon repeatedly, producing a maraca-like effect.

  "Punch, punch, punch-a-ball
  For punching on the run
  Move your fist
  Your hands, your wrist
  'Cause punching's so much fun"

• "The Do-Bee Dance": This song is not to be confused with "The Do-Bee Song," although it featured the same character, in this case as a becostumed individual. I'm not sure what meaningful activity it accompanied. All I can recall is the children doing the Do-Bee Dance, and what that was is truly just a blur in my mind. Looking back at it from my current vantage point, I would say that the sole purpose which this song seemed to serve was the praise of the show's mascot and the morals for which it stood. Anyway, the song went something like this:

  "Do, Do, Do-Bee Dance
  Do, Do, Do-Bee Dance
  That's the way to do it
  There's really nothing to it
  The Do-Bee, Do-Bee, Do-oo-Bee Dance"

• An exercise to encourage good posture involved the group - that is, the children and Miss So-And-So - walking around, each with a shallow plastic basket on his head. At the time it appeared that the baskets spun but it was probably just the illusion of a moiré effect. I don't remember its accompanying song, or even if there was one.
• An exercise to develop balance required each individual to clomp around on what I can best describe as inverted plastic buckets - Were they called "Romper Stompers"? - one for each foot. Each bucket had a loop of cord strung through it on which an individual would tug in order to hold the bucket against the sole of their shoe. It sounds more intricate that it was. Still, I'm curious who developed all these unusual exercise devices.
• I'm almost certain that show-and-tell and a sort of "Career Day," in which adult guests would describe their occupations, were featured occasionally.
• One of the websites on "Romper Room" which I found (see below) jogged my memory about snack time. Before partaking in the little meal, the teacher would lead the children in a saying of grace, which went like this: "God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for our food. Amen." (At the time, it rankled me that the words "good" and "food" didn't quite rhyme.) Again, since the show fell outside of the purview of the U.S. government, they were free to recite such a prayer. And as far as I know, nobody raised a stink over it.
• There was probably some kind of a good-bye song at the end of each episode, but it doesn't stick in my mind.

Here's something on a personal note: My brother, younger than I am, was an "extra" on "Romper Room" sometime in the early '70s. I believe that his selection was the result of writing in to the station and being chosen in a random drawing. The way I remember it, each week featured the same group of children who were present throughout the show. For certain activities, Miss So-And-So would invite several "friends" - her code word for these supplementary youngsters - to participate. If I'm correct, my brother's appearance was limited to just one broadcast. Since I was in school at the time the show was aired I never got to see it. And, of course, since this was prior to the advent of VCRs for the average Joe nobody in our family was able to tape it for posterity. Whether such a tape still exists in some archives is a mystery.

My thoughts about "Romper Room," foggy though they are are generally good ones. My nostalgia notwithstanding, I do admit that if it were somehow transported to the present it unfortunately would not last more than a few months, the times being what they are. Children are much too savvy these days to appreciate the simple, good-natured - dare I say "corny" - values which were espoused by "Romper Room" ... and that's truly sad. In retrospect, those of us who watched the show most likely didn't realize at the time how fortunate we were.

There is a lot of good stuff about "Romper Room" at this page .

From a correspondent, Colleen:

"I am a 37 year old married mother of 2 boys ages 17 & 15. I remember my mother taking 4 buses a day (2 down, and 2 back) to get me to channel 13 in Albany, NY. I remember while I was waiting to go on air, I'd be in the waiting area watching Gilligan's Island (new shows). I used to go home, and watch myself on t.v., and do all of the exercises, while my mother would take pictures of me (she was so proud). I had such a great time. When I graduated, they gave me a Noah's Ark to take home. I loved that. Through the years of consistent moving, my mom lost all of our belongings, including my Noah's Ark, and all of my pictures. I have been trying to figure out a way to retrieve even just 1 copy of a taping, so I could show my family. If you know of a way for me to do so, I would GREATLY appreciate it."

A correspondent, Nancy wrote:

"Indeed, I remember Romper Room. It began much earlier than you think, as a local show in Baltimore, Maryland in the early-mid 1950s. It was the brainchild of producer Bert Claster (whom if I'm not mistaken, had something to do with Kukla, Fran and Ollie, the famous puppet show of TV's Golden Age) and the original "Miss" was his wife, "Miss Sally". I think in later years, she was replaced by "Miss Nancy", Which was personally satisfying to me, since I was a "Nancy", too.

When I was little (figuratively and literally!), Romper Room invited local children to be on, much the same as Howdy Doody's Peanut Gallery, only this was a local effort. Much to my everlasting disappointment, I never got to be on either show! I think, in the beginning at least, the same kids were on for a week---five mornings in a row.

Yes, the things on their feet were "Romper Stompers", and there was another dittty/chant that they used, I don't recall in what context, that went,
'Romper-Stomper/ Bomper-Boo
Tell me, Tell me, Tell me, Do....
Did you have fun in school today?' It may have been used at the end of each show, as I think about it.

Yes--that Magic Mirror! I have one friend who claims she was terribly traumatized as a child because they never, ever said her name (it's a sort of unusual one) and she thought Miss Sally couldn't see her!

Also, you mentioned a "Miss Frances." That would be "Ding-Dong School, another show of the ''50s, hosted by an old lady who was an educational specialist of some kind---I can't think of her last name at the moment---it began with an "H", but she was widely reknowned as a teacher. Ding-Dong School was the "Mr. Rogers" of the day, a calm, slow-paced, loving sort of show. Personally, I always found Miss Frances kind of cloying; she had a tendency to talk down to kids. It was more educational than interesting, but that's just my opinion."