A new endowed chair will be established in honor of famed educator and Sesame Street creator Gerald Lesser, Dean of the Graduate School of Education (GSE) Jerome T. Murphy announced last night at a celebration in Longfellow Hall.

Though a promised appearance by Oscar the Grouch did not materialize, the event featured two panels honoring the 50th anniversary of GSE's Human Development Department and performances by a mini-Big Bird and mini-Oscar.

Introducing the evening's celebrations, Murphy credited Lesser with "directly linking developmental psychology with the everyday lives of millions and millions of children around the world."

Murphy added that Lesser embodied the school's goal of "linking the world of research to the world of practice."

The full capacity crowd, which included the widow of Muppet-mastermind Jim Henson, gave an embarrassed-looking Lesser a standing ovation.

The first panel explored the evolution of the GSE Human Development Department, highlighting Lesser's role in building the field.

When the department was started, it was one of first laboratories to study children rather than animals to learn about human development.

Each panel member paid tribute to Lesser's role in expanding the department's mission from one of pure research to one that included a focus on teaching.