"Romper bomper stomper doo...Tell me tell me tell me do...Magic Mirror please tell me today...Did all my friends have fun at play?" If you grew up in the 1960s or 1970s in Utah, odds are that you know exactly where that quote comes from. Romper Room was a popular children's television show that aired on KSL from 1953 to 1981, and preschoolers around the state gathered around the TV every afternoon to see if Miss Julie would call their names at the end of the show.
Romper Room was a national franchise that ran shows across the country from 1953 to 1994. Each station had its own host. Utah’s KSL had three hosts over the years.
Edna Anderson-Taylor, was "Miss Julie;" she hosted the show for 17 years, from 1964 to 1981.
Local children appeared on the show, six at a time. Every week, three children "graduated" from the on-air classroom and three new kids joined.
Children on the show were four or five years old, and typically sat on the waiting list for three years before it was their turn to appear.
Romper Room encouraged kids to be "Good Do-Bees" who were polite, kind and helpful.
The show also had segments where the kids were encouraged to move around, dance and play with musical instruments.
At the end of the show, Miss Julie would get her "Magic Mirror." She’d hold it up and say, "Romper bomper stomper doo...Tell me tell me tell me do...Magic Mirror please tell me today...Did all my friends have fun at play?"
Then, she’d read off several names, saying, "I see Tommy...and Michelle...and oh, look! There’s Travis and Melissa…" Preschoolers all over Utah would wait with bated breath to see if she would read their name.
For preschool-aged children in the 60s and 70s. Romper Room was an every-afternoon event. Do you remember watching it?
Take a look at this video with Edna Anderson-Taylor reminiscing about her days on Romper Room. It was produced and posted on YouTube by the Salt Lake Tribune.
Do you remember Romper Room? Were you lucky enough to appear on the show? We'd love to hear your childhood stories of this beloved show.
Feeling nostalgic? Take a look at these oldest photos ever taken in Utah.
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