Professor Kool facts for kids
Professor Kool's Fun Skool was a popular children's TV show that aired on WMAR-TV in Baltimore. It was shown on Saturday mornings from 1967 to 1977. The show was hosted by Stu Kerr and featured different kids each week.
Meet Professor Kool
Stu Kerr played the main character, Professor Kool. He looked like a funny teacher with giant floppy shoes, a long academic robe, and a special hat called a mortarboard. He also wore a floppy bow tie, glasses, a mustache, and had shiny black hair. Professor Kool was a bit silly, but he made kids feel like school was a lot of fun! He even sang a song to the tune of "Jingle Bells" to prove it:
We like school
We like school - cause it's lots of fun.
Singing, laughing, playing games,
Blues are on the run.
We like school
We like school - love to hear the bell.
For our teacher Professor Kool,
Let's give him a great big yell !!!
Fun Games and Characters
One of the most popular parts of the show was the Pie Face game. Children from the audience were chosen to play this game, which used the Hasbro toy of the same name. Contestants would put their faces through a hole and yell "SOCK IT TO ME! ... SOCK IT TO ME!" while turning a crank. It was always a messy and fun time!
Professor Kool also had a funny rival named Miss Spiderweb. She was a quiet, witch-like character who tried to cause trouble in the classroom. Miss Spiderweb was played by John Ziemann, who was a studio technician at WMAR for 35 years. As the show's "villain," Miss Spiderweb often became the target of playful pranks from the kids on the set and during live appearances.
Another favorite part of the show was when Professor Kool read the lunch menu. He would unroll a very long scroll with silly, unappetizing descriptions of food, which always made the kids in the classroom sound disgusted and laugh.
What Happened Next
After Professor Kool's Fun Skool ended, Stu Kerr went on to host another show called Caboose. On this show, he worked with a young puppeteer named Kevin Clash. You might know Kevin Clash better today as the person who brought the famous Elmo character to life!
