“What Do You Do with the Mad that You Feel?”
When I was an innocent eighteen years old, I was accepted as a college intern at WQED Public TV in Pittsburgh. As a college major in Communications, TV and Film, I “thought” I went to the station to learn as much as I could about television and film production. Instead I spend all my time volunteering as a prop boy on the set of the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” show!
You can read some of my adventures with Fred Rogers by clicking on this link: Behind the Scenes in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
In 1969, Fred Rogers appeared before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications. His goal was to support funding for PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, in response to significant proposed cuts by President Nixon.
In his own unique, heart-felt, masterful way, he convinced the committee to give the full funding of $20,000,000.00 to Public Television.
By watching this video, you can understand why my young heart chose to forgo my proper college studies at the station for all the precious time I could squeeze in with this inspired man:
Mister Rogers defending PBS to the US Senate
Here are the words to his song in the video that teaches kids they have the power to redirect and release that energy that sometimes builds-up inside:
“What Do You Do with the Mad that You Feel?”
What do you do with the mad that you feel
When you feel so mad you could bite?
When the whole wide world seems oh, so wrong…
And nothing you do seems very right?
What do you do? Do you punch a bag?
Do you pound some clay or some dough?
Do you round up friends for a game of tag?
Or see how fast you go?
It’s great to be able to stop
When you’ve planned a thing that’s wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:
I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish.
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.
Know that there’s something deep inside
That helps us become what we can.
For a girl can be someday a woman
And a boy can be someday a man.
By Fred M. Rogers © 1968