Planning included, the first year of programs came with an $8 million price tag.

"It came out with no seams, almost perfect. That took doing," said Chall.

To date, each show is written to meet curriculum goals which are set yearly. The 29th season's main curriculum goal was space science, with theme weeks on laughter, literacy, music, health and safety.

After the show's first year, Robert G. Myhrum '48 became director and altered both the set and the production schedule.

The set was transformed from a single "street" into two shorter segments which frame the famed central courtyard.

Myhrum, well-known as an efficient director who maintained high standards, upped the production schedule from one to two shows per day, allowing for the current schedule of 130 hour-long shows per year.

Myhrum remained director for thirteen years before retiring.

Another Harvard alum, Christopher B. Cerf'63, joined the staff as a composer at the same time as Myhrum. In addition to composing he was also in charge of choosing "products."

Chall credits Cerf with Big Bird.

"I fought him on the size of it until I saw it. The whole charm was the big size of the bird," she says.

Cerf continued to have an immense impact on the tone of the show with his songs. "They [the researchers] tell us what to teach and let us go crazy," he says.

Cerf is still with the show, continuing to "be very silly," while effectively and entertainingly meeting all curriculum goals.

Sesame Street Now

But other than Cerf's continued direct involvement with the show, as the years have progressed, the Harvard contingent has become less central to the show.

Chall continues to work on children's television, but is now working with Lesser developing a new show for WGBH called "Reading Between the Lions." The goal of this new show is to teach reading to children in first through third grades.