Skip to main content

For many pop culture fans, there’s no more iconic TV series than Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. A show that espoused wholesome values and encouraged children to express themselves, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and its contemporary series, Sesame Street, remain beloved to this day.

However, long before either of those shows premiered on television, there was another show appealing to young viewers all around the United States.

'Sesame Street' puppets
‘Sesame Street’ | Nathan Congleton/Getty Images

Ding Dong School is considered to be the very first preschool series to be syndicated, a show that was hosted by a former teacher and beloved television personality.

When did ‘Ding Dong School’ debut on television?

Many historians consider the ’50s to be the golden age of television, with shows like I Love Lucy and The Jack Benny Program making waves. However, there were no programs designed purely for children in the early days. That changed in 1952 when Ding Dong School premiered on TV.

The show got its name from the ringing bell that started out each episode. Initially, the show was only broadcast in a small viewing area, but after the network received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents about how much their children loved the show, it was broadcast all over the United States.

According to BuzzFeed, the show’s popularity can be traced to the host, a preschool teacher named Frances Horwich. Called “Miss Frances” in the program, Horwich spoke directly to young viewers, using only props that could be easily recognized by children and speaking to them with clarity and kindness.

BuzzFeed also notes that Horwich refused to cater to all of the demands of the network, preferring to keep the show’s integrity and aligning the programming with educational values rather than what would “sell” better.

‘Ding Dong School’ went off the air in 1956

Horwich remained the host of Ding Dong School throughout the entire series run – and even when the network approached her about extending episodes of the shows to 60 minutes, she refused, noting that a preschooler’s attention span is better suited to the 30-minute timeframe.

BuzzFeed notes that Horwich committed herself thoroughly to the values and principles espoused by Ding Dong School. Notably, when NBC planned to air an ad for BB guns, Horwich protested, causing NBC to cancel the show. Only when viewers called for the series to return to television did NBC executives give in and allow the show to return to syndication.

Ding Dong School was syndicated until 1965. While it seems to have slipped into the annals of history, the effect that the show had on future television generations was profound.

Shows like ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ and ‘Sesame Street’ took inspiration from ‘Ding Dong School’

Related

‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ Went Nuclear and PBS Wasn’t Here for It

Ding Dong School was the first TV show to speak directly to very young viewers, but it wouldn’t be the last. In 1968, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood shook things up, debuting on TV and changing the game in a big way.

Fred Rogers, an educator and television personality opened each episode by talking to the young viewers watching before going into different segments that involved puppets, educational objects, and stories. The series would ultimately go on to become the longest-running children’s television series until Sesame Street beat that record in 2003, according to IMDb.

Sesame Street, going on to further develop the themes that Ding Dong School and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood explored, primarily used clever puppets to sing educational songs and talk about complex feelings and emotions in ways that young children could understand and relate to. Sesame Street is still going strong today, helping new generations learn and develop.

Best in Entertainment