New Chair Honors Big Bird's Creator

A new endowed chair will be established in honor of famed educator and Sesame Street creator Gerald Lesser, Dean of the Graduate School of Education (GSE) Jerome T. Murphy announced last night at a celebration in Longfellow Hall.

Though a promised appearance by Oscar the Grouch did not materialize, the event featured two panels honoring the 50th anniversary of GSE's Human Development Department and performances by a mini-Big Bird and mini-Oscar.

Introducing the evening's celebrations, Murphy credited Lesser with "directly linking developmental psychology with the everyday lives of millions and millions of children around the world."

Murphy added that Lesser embodied the school's goal of "linking the world of research to the world of practice."

The full capacity crowd, which included the widow of Muppet-mastermind Jim Henson, gave an embarrassed-looking Lesser a standing ovation.

The first panel explored the evolution of the GSE Human Development Department, highlighting Lesser's role in building the field.

When the department was started, it was one of first laboratories to study children rather than animals to learn about human development.

Each panel member paid tribute to Lesser's role in expanding the department's mission from one of pure research to one that included a focus on teaching.

"There were some really exciting research projects, but the department as we know it didn't really come into being till [Lesser] took over in 1963," said Robert LeVine, a former area chair.

The second panel explored the role of the GSE in the development of Sesame Street.

Moderator Peggy Charren, the founder of Action for Children's Television, said Sesame Street was created with educational goals in mind.

"[The program] was designed to help preschool children get ready for school, to give them the tools they need for success," she said.

Charren said Lesser was integral in the development of the show, which took place only after innumerable seminars uniting "TV people" and researchers.

"Teachers will not write the show and writers will not be educators--it had to be a collaboration," said Chris Cerf, composer and lyricist for the show.

Describing her panel as "delicious," Charren invited panel members to share their fondest memories of the show.

Caroll Spinney, Muppeteer and the voice of both Oscar and Big Bird, remembered his audition with Jim Henson for the part.

"The Muppets were the Beatles of the [puppet] world," said Spinney.

Spinney had no trouble adapting his boyish voice to the role of Big Bird, but he said finding a voice for Oscar--the Muppet who was originally intended to be purple and first appeared in a shade of orange--was more difficult.

As Spinney rode across town in a taxi to his audition, he ran through possible voices. He focused on the driver's voice and realized he'd found Oscar's voice. Henson loved it, and Spinney was hired.

On a more serious note, Spinney said of the almost 4,000 shows in which he has performed, his favorite episode was the show that followed the death of main character Mr. Hooper.

After consulting with researchers, show creators decided to be honest with the preschool viewers. Big Bird--and Spinney--served as the voice of curious children viewers, wanting to know when Mr. Hooper would return.

To return the mood to its prevailing celebratory tone, Spinney pulled out two different mini-Muppets.

Though an appearance by Oscar the Grouch had been promised in advertisements for the event, Spinney apologized for his absence. Spinney said he had contacted show character "Mumford the Magician," who was able to procure a mini-Big Bird and a mini-Oscar the Grouch.

Spinney then alternated his two roles, to the amusement of the crowd.

Cerf said that working for Sesame Street is a cure for writer's block, since show creators and researchers give composers advice and fairly specific requests for songs.

"If it's a request for a 26-second song on the letter J with Cookie Monster and Reggae, it's easier [than without a subject]."

The goals of the show, and its architects, have recently expanded to include the international stage. Sesame Street is seen in 120 countries, but it also has 19 international editions, which are local adaptations of the show. For example, in Spain Big Bird is a porcupine.

Lesser said one of his favorite memories is the recent introduction of an international version of the show he helped engineer involving collaboration between Israelis and Palestinians. The show has two streets and aims to teach understanding and acceptance.

The original team members struggled with how to "create a fantasy world when the reality is so harsh." They almost had to scrap the project when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin was assassinated the Saturday night before the first creative meeting for the show. While the staff predicted the arrangement would fail, each side felt the project was one Rabin would have supported, and the show went on.

Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized Lesser's pivotal role in the development of GSE and children's education.

"What Gerry has done is teach the world to sing," Charren said.