Friday, January 27, 2012

Fun to Learn

Many, MANY years ago, when I was a girl I was occasionally on a TV program in Buffalo, NY called Fun to Learn. Jeanne Massing was the host of the show and she was also my Mom's best friend. The program was designed to encourage children to create things from whatever they found around the house. Just the other day my brother Rand sent me this photo. Rand is on the left, me in the middle, Jeanne, and Jack Harmson, Rand's friend, on the right. Crafting was quite simple in those days. We had paste and paper and paint and that was about it. Construction paper was also an important element. Jeanne was definitely ahead of her time in DIY TV!

 Buffalo, NY was also the television home of the Howdy Doody Show and Buffalo Bob. Great TV that! Things have sure changed, but that really was a fun show for kids. Remember Mr. Bluster and the Indian Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring? Yes, I am revealing my age, but only to those who also remember.

I think I am officially an antique!




9 comments:

Cheryl said...

What a great picture and a wonderful memory for you. I was over the moon about the Howdy Doody show...ahhh, those were the days. Great post.

Karen said...

We had a program I watched that was called "Ding Dong School". It would be like kindergarten or preschool for either a half hour or hour each weekday morning. I forget the length of the show. There were stories, learning things, and crafty type projects presented.
I watched Howdy Doody faithfully. There was The Pinky Lee Show too but I don't remember much about it. Certainly not the kind of things kids watch today.

Gail said...

Oh, Howdy Doody! I watched that faithfully. Then, many years later, with three kids (and one in high school) I worked at a shop in a newly opened mall. As part of the opening, there were a series of special events - one of which was an appearance of Buffalo Bob and Howdy. The stage was set up right outside of our shop, and Buffalo Bob brought Howdy in and asked if I would watch the puppet and then bring him onstage on cue. HOLY COW! would I?!! I got to babysit Howdy, meet Buffalo Bob and walk on stage with them. Surprising how much that thrilled a 40 something. LOL

Jeanne said...

I remember! Life in general, was so much simpler then. Great photos and memories.

Vivian said...

I also remember Ding, Dong School and Howdy Doody very well. Definitely simpler times. Not sure that I'd like to go back to everything we did then, but respect for others and encouraging childhood imagination are two things that seem to be missing so much these days. Oh yes, and nonthreatening, mild TV shows with modest people and polite language.

onlymehere said...

That's awesome that you have that picture and the fun memories to go with it. I was a Romper Room child with Miss Julie so I guess that dates me pretty well also. I miss good clean TV and movies. There's nothing to watch anymore. My kids even rate the shows for me and tell me what to avoid bz I wouldn't like it......hmmmmmmmm....shouldn't that be the other way around?

Jennie said...

You never told us that!

Kyle said...

I was a faithful Howdy Doody watcher. I love the simpler times but really wouldn't want to give up many of the wonderful things available now.

AnnieO said...

Nah, you're only vintage. An antique has to be over 100 years old! Great photo and how wonderful to have memories of crafting like that "back in the day".