I disliked Howdy Doody; so watched THE MAGIC COTTTAGE instead, at the same time, but loved LUCKY PUP, SKY KING, THE LONE RANGER, and so many more shows.
I too watched that Convention and have watched them all ever since, as a Conservative.
We got our first TV in 1952, as well as our first wall to wall carpeting, so I loved watching the little box while rolling around on the floor. I loved Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring. She made the show for me. Then there was Sky King, Space Ranger and the secret decoder ring and Roy Rogers and the start of all those wonderful westerns. Trying to remember another sci-fi show of the period but my aging brain is refusing.
My love was Hiram Holliday (Wally Cox). He used to fight his way around the world with his trusty umbrella as a sword. My first crush, and first autograph, was The Grey Ghost. Still have it. Then there were the Mouseketeers. I know 3 numbers - the phone number of my childhood, my SS number, and my Mouseketeer number - 242001.
Hiram Holliday - Traveling Man (Characters) - Ricky Nelson
https://youtu.be/02ulP_B3F0Y