Rollins College Dedicates Fred Rogers Statue

On Thursday Rollins College dedicated a new statue of Fred Rogers. The late television host graduated from the college 70 years ago.

The college sponsored the bronze piece, dubbed "A Beautiful Day for a Neighbor," to remember Rogers' impact on the community and nation. The statue pictures Rogers sporting his typical cardigan, surrounded by a group of children.

The Chapel Garden courtyard hosts the statue which towers over seven-feet-tall, weighing in at 3,000 pounds. Also included as a part of the sculpture are the lyrics from the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood theme song.

Paul Day, the statue's sculptor, expressed hope that "this piece will bring joy and inspiration to many people, just as 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood' did for generations."

Rogers transferred to Rollins in 1948 from Dartmouth and immediatelt became a well-known student leader on campus. Rogers graduated academic honors and a degree in music composition in 1951. While at Rollins, Rogers met his wife to be, Sara Joanne.

The sculpture is the fifth stop on Rollins' Mister Rogers Walking Tour.

Rogers died of cancer on February 27, 2003, at age 74, accepting roughly 40 honorary degrees and several awards during his career, with the Presidential Medal of Freedomand a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 1997 topping off his accolades in his twilight years.

A registered Republican, Rogers remained accepting of all people, though at times demonstrated an anti-LGBT view among staff on his program. In light of these facts, some conservative voices in the community have pointed out President Cornwall's double standard when dealing with famous alumni like Rogers, as opposed to on campus organizations' and individuals' religious beliefs, most recently witnessed in the college's crackdown on CRU in 2018 and 2019.