Click to enlarge Jerrie Whiteley

Hard to believe that Big Bird, Bert, Ernie and the crew have been teaching youngins to count and say their alphabet for that long, but they have been doing so.

Almost everyone knows at least some of the show's theme song and some youngsters know it in more than one language. My niece, Stormi, particularly loves Elmo. She has an Elmo doll that sings and begs to be picked up and put down. OK, there are days when I would like to put it down all right .... in the ground for a little dirt nap .... but she has the best time with it.

She isn't much for watching her red pal on television just yet. But lots of children do every day. I looked around on the Internet to try to find out just how many children watch Sesame Street on a daily basis, but couldn't find anyone to give me that information.

What I can find, however, is a wealth of information about all of the children in this country, and others, who have been helped by this one series. Who would have thought that a simple television show would make such a difference?

The people who started it four decades ago probably didn't. That makes me think about the things we all do today. I wonder what television show or book that is popular now will still be around 40 years from now? Will "Dora the Explorer" still be teaching children 40 years from now? How about the Harry Potter series?

Happy birthday Thursday to Bradlee Barnum, Daniel Mycale Braxton and Jaci Garvin, all of Denison; Netra Briggs, Harold Low, Keisha Taylor, Lillie Perry, Demetra Blanton, Eddie Henderson and Walter Whitfield, all of Sherman; Janet Francis of Savoy; Makayla Ryon of Bells; Tessa Elizabeth Nurre and Ryan Rambo, both of Dallas; Marge Hinton of Grandview, Mo.; Joe Palmore of Colbert, Okla.; Tony Brawner of Ivanhoe; Temprest Beaver of Plano; Marie Raulston of Van Alstyne; Zackary Guerrero of Whitesboro; Walter Anderson of Sacramento, Calif.

Happy anniversary Thursday to Ray and Kathy Boyd of Sherman, 59 years; David and Connie Hartwig of Sherman, 43 years; Charles and Wanda Greene of Sherman 26 years; B.K. and Stephanie May of Sherman, 16 years.