Ding Dong School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ding Dong School |
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Miss Frances on the air in 1953
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| Presented by | Frances Horwich |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | November 24, 1952 – December 28, 1956 |
Ding Dong School was a popular children's TV show from the 1950s. It was known as "the nursery school of the air." This half-hour program was one of the first TV shows made especially for preschool kids in the United States. It started even before famous shows like Romper Room.
The show was presented from a child's point of view. Cameras were set low to see things as a small child would. Stories and activities were slow-paced, just right for young viewers. Each episode began with Miss Frances ringing a small school bell.
Ding Dong School was a very early version of shows like Sesame Street and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. It was hosted live by Frances Horwich, known as "Miss Frances." At one point, it was the most watched TV show for preschoolers. The show started in Chicago in 1952. After just six weeks, the NBC network picked it up. At its peak, Ding Dong School had three million viewers every day!
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How Ding Dong School Started
The idea for Ding Dong School came from a talk between two TV station leaders in Chicago. They realized there were over 235,000 preschool children in the area. They wondered how television could help these young kids learn.
A team was put together to explore this idea. They decided to create a show where a teacher on TV would teach kids watching at home. The team also wanted the show to feel like it was seen through a child's eyes. This meant using low camera angles. All the items used on the show had to be things young children would easily know.
Finding Miss Frances
After planning the show's style, the next step was to find the right host. They made a list of teachers who might be good for the job. Frances Horwich was on this list. She was the head of the education department at Roosevelt University in Chicago.
Horwich was an experienced preschool teacher. However, she had only been on TV for panel discussions. The idea of hosting a show alone, without kids in the studio, felt a bit scary. But she tried out and got the job. She was ready to give it a go! The show got its name from producer Reinhard Werrenrath's three-year-old son, Peter. When he heard a school bell would start each show, he called it Ding Dong School.
Getting on the Air
Many NBC executives watched the show being developed. They were very doubtful it would succeed. The station's general manager thought it was either the best or worst show he had ever seen. Another executive even thought it might end television and bring back radio!
Because they thought the show was a mistake, they decided to air it only once. The show was set to air on October 2, 1952. The station didn't even tell anyone it was coming.
A Big Surprise
Since the executives believed the show had no future, they were not ready for what happened next. Immediately after it aired, they received 150 phone calls supporting the show. Then, a huge amount of positive mail from viewers poured in.
The positive response was so strong that the executives changed their minds. They quickly found a spot for Ding Dong School in their weekday morning schedule. With the show now airing every weekday, Miss Frances had two weeks to learn new skills. She had to master drawing, painting, and doing puzzles upside-down for the camera!
What Happened on the Show
NBC Chicago Days
Miss Frances, played by Frances Horwich, started each show by ringing a hand-held school bell. Then she sang the Ding Dong School song. She would look right into the camera and ask, "How are you this morning?" Just like a real teacher, she would pause, letting the kids at home answer.
The whole program was run as if there were children in the TV studio. Activities included finger painting, making toys with pipe cleaners, or using modeling clay. They also had lessons on important things, like how to cross streets safely. Many children drew pictures and sent them to Miss Frances. She would then show and talk about these drawings on the air.
Before each show ended, Miss Frances would ask the children to bring their mothers to the TV. She would then review what they learned and what supplies might be needed for future shows.
Even though it had only been on for a short time, the program won a Peabody Award in 1952. The show was so popular locally that it became a national network program in early 1953. Within two months of joining the network, Ding Dong School had 2.4 million daily viewers. It was even more popular than Arthur Godfrey's morning TV show!
By 1956, Frances Horwich had written 25 books related to the show. There were also 11 Ding Dong School records. About 30 companies sold toys and other items based on the show. A Ding Dong School PTA was even created. This allowed Miss Frances and parents to share their ideas.
Moving to New York
In 1954, Frances Horwich became the Head of Children's Programming for the NBC network. She moved to New York in early 1955. From then on, Ding Dong School was broadcast from New York. She stayed in this job until 1956, when Ding Dong School was canceled. The show that replaced it was The Price Is Right.
Horwich had previously said no to NBC's request to make Ding Dong School an hour long. She felt young children should not watch TV for more than 30 minutes at a time. NBC also wanted to move the show to later in the morning or early afternoon. Horwich also refused this request. She was also asked to accept commercials from a company that made BB guns. When she refused, she was told Ding Dong School would be canceled. After the show was canceled, Horwich tried to resign from her network job, but NBC would not accept her resignation.
Ding Dong School Returns
After being canceled by NBC, Ding Dong School was off the air for a while. But Frances Horwich returned to Chicago. In 1958, she signed a deal with WGN-TV to air the show locally again.
Because Horwich owned the rights to Ding Dong School, she could bring it back. She aired the program in Chicago. She also started to syndicate the program through a company in California starting in 1959. This meant other TV stations across the country could also show Ding Dong School. The show continued to be syndicated until 1965.
Today, five old episodes of Ding Dong School from 1954-1955 are kept at the Library of Congress. These old recordings help us remember this important early children's TV show.
