WINTER PARK, Fla. — Nestled away under old trees, Rollins College may be a beautiful spot to relax and take in the sights. But there's more to this college's history than meets the eye.
- Rollins College walking tour honors Mister Rogers
- Fred Rogers was an alumni of Rollins College
- Campus walking tours offered 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday
- More information: Mister Rogers Walking Tour
Inside the music department, you'll find John Sinclair. You won't have to press him much to chat about his close friend of many decades, Fred Rogers.
You may know him as Mister Rogers from the PBS show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."
''I remember one time, he was at our home and I couldn't find him, and I said to his wife, 'Where is he?' She said, 'Probably with your kids.'
"I found him back there, and I said, 'Fred, you're off duty,' And he said, 'No, I love kids much more than adults,'" Sinclair recalled.
Rogers' love of children led to his wildly successful TV show. But that was before he went to college at Rollins College in the late 1940s.
Studying music composition, Rogers would go on to use in his show to write many of the hit songs such as "Won't You Be My Neighbor."
And even after Rogers' death, his legacy lives on at Rollins as part of the school's Fred Rogers Walking Tour.
The tour across campus takes you on a journey with pictures, memorabilia and little known stories you'll hear from people who knew him.
The campus even displays one of Rogers' famous sweaters and his iconic tennis shoes.
''If you're a Fred Rogers fan, or you're just looking to be inspired by a man who has the right message to give at the right time, do come out to Rollins," Sinclair said. ''He was the model of love is indeed the answer and being a good neighbor is important work."
You can experience the free Mister Rogers Walking Tour at Rollins College from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
For more information, head to Rollins' website.