Mr. Hooper gets his high school diploma

"Mr. Hooper gets his high school diploma" is a Sesame Street story arc that took place over several episodes in Season 7 and 8 (1976/1977).

Unlike other story arcs on Sesame Street that typically occur in an unbroken series of episodes, the narrative is distributed sporadically between two seasons of the show. The plotline involves Mr. Hooper, a man well into his sixties, reluctantly admitting to his friends that he never received his high school diploma, so he's going back to night school in order to earn his GED (General Educational Development). Most of the following episodes involve Mr. Hooper deep in study, and the through line ends a year later, when he proudly graduates with his friends in attendance. The final episode includes one of the few times the character's full name is used: Harold Hooper.

Some of the acquaintances Mr. Hooper made during his course include Margaret, with whom he studies in Episode 0917, and Mrs. Kingsley who does not appear until Episode 1136, a year after graduation. Jay Tucker also receives his diploma alongside Mr. Hooper, but the details of his schooling are not revealed.

The first episode began streaming on HBO Max in 2020, another had previously run in the Sesame Street Unpaved syndication package, but the rest have not been distributed since their initial broadcast (although the Street stories from two of the episodes were later edited into repeats for seasons 9 and 10).

Episodes

Picture	Description
	Episode 0845 When David arrives for work at Hooper's Store, he initially has trouble finding his boss. He eventually finds him sitting in the yard, studiously looking through some text books and making notes in a pad. At first, he's vague about what he's so focused on, continuing to work when Big Bird comes along. Eventually, he explains that since he had to start work at such an early age, he never finished high school, so he's enrolled in night classes to get his diploma. He reveals that, due to his age, he had been afraid that his friends would laugh at him. David assures Mr. Hooper that he's proud of him, and Big Bird says he can count on him if there's anything he needs to know.
	Episode 0871 Bob and Gordon begin to worry when they find that Hooper's Store hasn't opened at its usual time in the morning. They're about to make their way to a phone to call and check on him when Mr. Hooper emerges, yawning up a storm. He explains that he's got a big exam coming up and had spent all night in the store studying. Later, when Mr. Hooper is trying to study in the yard, he tries to pull himself away from the books to make John-John a sundae. Big Bird however, recognizing that Mr. Hooper's forthcoming exam is important, offers to fill in for him. Unfortunately, Big Bird has to keep asking for help because he doesn't know his way around the store... or how to make a sundae. As Mr. Hooper returns to work, Big Bird picks up the text book and calls Bob out on misspelling Constantinople.
	Episode 0912 Mr. Hooper works on a geometry problem for homework, but he can't quite figure it out. Gordon and Bob offer to help, each coming up with their own approach to the problem. Mr. Hooper decides that he will consider both options, and determine which is best for the final result. When he works out the solution, he finds that both gentlemen were correct. Fascinated by how this could be, Gordon and Bob pore over the textbook, leaving Mr. Hooper without a means to continue his geometry; so he shifts focus to brushing up on his Latin instead.
	Episode 0916 Cookie Monster sits in Hooper's Store, while Mr. Hooper studies Spanish for his night classes. He has trouble remembering the word for "kiss," so Maria writes it down for him: "beso." As she goes off, Mr. Hooper orally reviews the vocabulary, while Cookie Monster chows down on the word Maria wrote. When Mr. Hooper wonders aloud what "kiss" means, Cookie burps the answer.
	Episode 0917 With another big test coming up, Mr. Hooper recruits Susan and Luis to help watch over the store while he hits the books. Although he seemingly didn't need it, today he's got a study buddy from his class: Margaret. Upon her arrival, she lets slip to his friends that Mr. Hooper has earned the nickname "Ace" in class because he's the only one who scored an A on the last test. During their study session, they receive additional support from Herry Monster and Mr. Snuffleupagus (the latter, anonymously). They later return from class with news that the test was rescheduled, prompting minor panic from Luis and Susan who filled in for him today at the store.
	Episode 0999 While studying Spanish in the yard, Mr. Hooper asks Maria for some help. He can read some of the language, but he's having trouble pronouncing it. Once he's perfected how to say, "I want a big glass of cold water," he stands in victory and declares, "Yo quiero un vaso grande de agua fría." Several kids approach the table with glasses of water; Mr. Hooper now wants to know how to say, "I am not thirsty." Later, Mr. Hooper is proud that he's learned how to ask where the mailbox is, but Maria is insistent that he needs to say it with conviction. While she coaches him through it, several kids have dragged the mailbox down Sesame Street to the front of Hooper's Store.
	Episode 1025 The residents of Sesame Street find Mr. Hooper locked inside his store wearing a cap and gown and deduce that he must be graduating from night school soon. Mr. Hooper reveals this to be true and admits to be graduating the first of his class. As such, he's written a speech, but in his fluster at the arrival of his friends, he'd dropped it in the dishwater, and now it's illegible. Everyone helps him get ready by tailoring his outfit and retyping the speech, but Mr. Hooper is a little sad his family won't be able to see him graduate. As a special surprise for their friend, everyone dresses to the nines and they announce that they'll be attending the graduation to support him. During the ceremony, Mr. Hooper can't find his prepared speech, so he wings it and declares this as a day to be very proud of. Later, as Big Bird looks forward to becoming a high school graduate himself one day, Mr. Hooper starts considering colleges he might attend.