MovieChat Forums > Captain Kangaroo (1955) Discussion > 'far from educational?' No way!

'far from educational?' No way!

posted 15 years ago by chips76309
4 replies | jump to latest

The 16 Nov issue of "Time Magazine" has a piece celebrating "Sesame Street" and refers to "Captain Kangaroo" as "fun but far from educational."

Obviously, the author had never watched this show. I learned the importance of good manners, good sportsmanship, and respect for others. I also remember how the good Captain would READ an entire book on camera - and I would promptly go to the library and look up that same book if I could. I would get up and mimic Dancing Bear, I clapped to wake up Grandfather Clock, and I followed his simple sketching. I felt part of the show, not a spectator.

His was a gentler method of teaching than the later shows like SS but it was no less "educational."

I'm glad the Captain isn't alive to read that insult.

[–] spike71 15 years ago

I totally agree with you. I learned the same things you did.

I guess they think Cookie Monster gorging himself on cookies and saying "me want cookies" is a fine example of education. Don't get me wrong - learning your ABC's is important. But the Captain and the members of the Treasure House taught us alot too.

How insulting...

[–] LightsCameraAction1 11 years ago

The Captain taught many 'educational' topics over the years....The author of the article didn't do research.....

[–] gheilers 11 years ago

Captain Kangaroo used to run a "special" episode for July 4, every year. It was devoted to the history of the founding of our nation. The Captain would just appear at commercial break time. The rest of the episode was an educational film about our history. It was chock full of great animations, graphics, charts, etc...about the Revolutionary War, and the creation of our system of government. It covered the major battles of the war, with cool stick-figure soldiers on maps. Using all sorts of graphs and charts (bar graphs, flow-charts, pie-charts, etc.) it explained how our system of government was created, and why. It covered the three branches, checks and balances, how a bill becomes a law, the Electoral College, etc.
This thing was obviously a film made for elementary schools, that the Captain Kangaroo Show purchased for broadcasting. But it was *so* well done, that I learned more from this, and *retained* it...than I did in all the years of school!

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]