Sock Puppet Week Celebrated UMD Alums Jim, Jane Henson

COLLEGE PARK, MD — Every year, the University of Maryland celebrates two of its most prominent alumni in fun ways during Jim and Jane Henson Week.

The pair, who graduated in 1960 (Jim) and 1955 (Jane), are creators of Kermit the Frog and the Muppets. They are recognized with a week brimming full of activities each year.

Because Sept. 24 would've been Jim Henson's 90th birthday, the University of Maryland held a sock puppet party where more than 300 students, faculty, staff and family members gathered together in the grand ballroom at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union.

They hoped to break the Guinness World Record's number of sock puppets worn in one venue set in 2019 as a shout out to the Hensons. Anyone without a sock puppet was able to make one at the event.

"We didn't break the world record for sock puppets in one venue, but the campus community had a fun-filled afternoon creating, making and playing," a spokesperson with the UMD Office of Innovation, Division of Research, said in a statement.

Jane majored in art education and Jim studied home economics with a focus on costume design, screen printing and set design. The pair first brought their puppets to TV on “Sam and Friends” (1955-1961), a live show on WRC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C. Kermit the Frog, made from Jim Henson's mother’s felt coat and a split ping pong ball, first appeared on the show, the university stated.

The Hensons made their national television debut on “The Tonight Show” in 1965, “Sesame Street” premiered in 1969, and “The Muppet Show” debuted 50 years ago this month. It aired from 1976 to 1981.