Before there was “Sesame Street,” there was “Romper Room.” The preschool children’s TV show aired from 1953 until 1994 and captured the hearts and imaginations of several generations. Created by Nancy and Bert Claster, the show had a national telecast but also local franchises, including one at WSIX Nashville, Tennessee.
The Nashville broadcast reached audiences in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama, and had a huge following. It was hosted by “Miss Nancy,” a teacher persona who engaged with a handful of on-stage children during a live filming of music, games, exercises and stories.
One of these Miss Nancy teachers was Beverly Early, now a resident at Morning Pointe of Brentwood, Tennessee. Being on “Romper Room” was one of the highlights of her life.
Before “Romper Room”
Beverly was born in December 1941 in the countryside of Columbia, Tennessee. Her parents, Melvin and Sophie Harvill, had a great influence on her. “I had excellent parents,” she said. “They were churchgoing people, and that was the center of my life.”
With a love for learning, Beverly went to Belmont University in Nashville and studied education. She very much enjoyed her college years and made a lot of friends. She was also named the May Queen, which was a great honor at the school and required not only grace and poise but also talent. After graduation, Beverly taught middle school English for a year.
At a Belmont alumni event, Beverly met Don Early, who was considered quite a catch himself. The two started dating, and Beverly and Don were engaged when Beverly auditioned for the Miss Nancy role on “Romper Room.”
“I was fortunate enough to get the job,” Beverly remembered. Once she was chosen, it was time for training! Don drove her all the way to Baltimore to train under Nancy Claster. When they returned, Beverly started on the show.
“Romper Room” Years – 1964-1973
For nine years, Beverly embodied Miss Nancy. “I loved meeting the people,” she said. “I loved the children. It was always a full day when I was there.” The kids were always well-behaved, she added.
Among the activities she led the children in were using the Romper Stompers, cup stilts that the kids stood on and pulled up with ropes. And yes, Beverly used them too. She loved leading group activities, and she would serve the children a snack. Beverly described “Romper Room” this way: “It was a good show for children, and they learned things, positive things. They learned to work well with other children.”
Beverly can still recite the rhyme she said as Miss Nancy at the end of each “Romper Room” episode as she held up the “magic mirror”: “Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, did all my friends have fun at play?” At the end of the rhyme, she would call out kids by name to say she “saw” them in the magic mirror, such as, “I see John. I see Nancy. I see Peter.” Parents would write in to the show to ask for their children’s names to be featured, and it made the children feel extra-special.
Years later, in the 1990s, Beverly was watching “The Oprah Winfrey Show” when she heard the hostess say that she used to watch “Romper Room” when she was a child and was disappointed that Miss Nancy never called her name. In response, Beverly sent Oprah a letter with the rhyme and used her name. Oprah wrote her back to thank her, and they sent a few correspondences back and forth.
Beverly was not only a hostess but also a spokesperson for the products shown on the show, including Purity Dairy, who provided the milk for the snacks, and Cain-Sloan, a famed Nashville department store that provided Miss Nancy’s wardrobe.
During the “Romper Room” years, Beverly also married Don and had her first two daughters, Alison and Shannon.
People recognized Beverly everywhere she went, especially children. One time, she and her husband went into a store, and it was crowded, and Don joked, “We need to leave, or I don’t think we’re going to get out of here alive.” As her daughter Alison Reed put it, “She was a local celebrity.” Daughter Lauren Whatley added, “Kids would wait in really long lines to see her.”
After the Show
Beverly left the show when she was pregnant with her third child, Lauren. She dedicated the rest of her adulthood to being a wife and mother. Lauren remembers fondly the time her mom was supposed to come and help her kindergarten class with their art project. When the car broke down, Beverly walked to the school so she wouldn’t miss being there for her daughter.
“She taught the three of us how to be loving mothers to our children,” said Alison. “We all have really good relationships with our children, and I credit that to her and Dad.”
Beverly was also very involved in her community. The family moved to Brentwood when the area was mostly pastureland. In fact, Beverly was part of the committee as the town was starting to grow that decided that every lot had to be an acre.
In their home, Beverly would come up with projects, and her husband would bring them to be. She was in charge of interior design, though. “Mama is the best decorator,” said Lauren. “She has the best taste. She can make any space look really good.”
Coming to Morning Pointe
Don passed away of Parkinson’s disease in 2014, after 49 years of marriage. Beverly had some health struggles of her own, and her daughters knew she would benefit from assisted living. Alison’s husband’s uncle had had a good experience at Morning Pointe of Brentwood, and the community is not far from Alison’s house. Morning Pointe was a natural choice, and Beverly moved into her apartment in January 2024.
“We think it’s such a great place for Mom,” said Lauren. “Mama likes to be around people.” Besides the social aspect, Beverly’s family likes that the community is one level and provides security and peace of mind for their mom and them.
“I enjoy all the nice meals, the Bible studies, the Saturday afternoon movies, and the music,” Beverly said.
Beverly’s spirit of hospitality is alive and well at Morning Pointe, as Regie Ragland, life enrichment director, shared: “If we’re doing a group activity, she’s always so encouraging to the person to the left or right of her. She is so humble and kind and sweet.”
Beverly also enjoys visits from her daughters and grandchildren, of which she has 11. The grandkids affectionately call her “Gaga.” “I’ve had a blessed life,” she said. “I married a good man. I’m very proud of my daughters.”
Whether she’s been called Beverly, Miss Nancy, Mama, or Gaga, she has spread her spirit of sweetness wherever she has gone, and we are privileged to be able to have her here at Morning Pointe!
