Ding Dong School - NBC - November 17, 1954

Ding Dong School, billed as "the nursery school of the air", was a half-hour children's TV show which began on WNBQ-TV (now WMAQ-TV) in Chicago, Illinois[1] a few months before its four-year run on NBC (albeit still produced in the WNBQ studios). It is the earliest known preschool series to be produced in the United States, predating Romper Room by a year. A precursor to Sesame Street and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the show was hosted live by Frances Horwich (aka "Miss Frances"), and at one point was the most popular TV series aimed at preschoolers. The program began in 1952 at Chicago's WNBQ television. After six weeks on the air locally, the program was picked up by the NBC television network. At the height of its popularity, Ding Dong School had three million viewers. It ran from 1952 to 1956 and again in syndication from 1958-1965.