ROGER?
ROGERS
ical school of the University of Pennsylvania,
1802 ; practised in Philadelphia and Baltimore,
and was professor of natural philosophy and
chemistry in William and Mary college, "Virginia,
1819-38. William Barton Rogers removed with
his parents to Balti-
more, Md., in 1812,
where he attended
the common schools
and was temporarily
employed in a mer-
cantile house ; was
graduated from Wil-
liam and Mary, 1832,
delivering an oration
at the third "Vir-
giniad," Jamestown,
Va., in May, 1833;
continued at the col-
lege as acting profes-
sor of mathematics
and as a post-graduate
student of the classics until October, 1835, and in
the fall of 1836 opened a school at Windsor, Md.,
with his brother James. He delivered two courses
of lectures before the Maryland institute at Balti-
more, 1837, and in October, 1838, succeeded to his
father's professorship at William and Mary, hold-
ing the position until 1835, when he was elected
to the chair of natural philosophy in the Univer-
sity of Virginia, and also chairman of the faculty
in 1844. In the latter capacity, he prepared a
memorial to the legislature of Virginia in the
defence of the university and its annual appro-
priation, and also the " Report "of the committee
of the house of delegates on schools and colleges
(Document No. 41, Session of 1844-45) , a report
of the greatest interest and importance in the
history of American education. His admin-
istration included the arduous period of " riot-
ing " among the students, which was eventually
suppressed by the intervention of civil authority.
He served as state geologist, 1835-43. He was
married, June 30, 1849, to Emma, daughter of
James Savage (q.v.) and Elizabeth (Stillman)
Lincoln Savage of Boston, Mass. ; visited England
and Scotland, June-October, 1849 ; delivered a
course of lectures on " phases of the atmosphere,*'
before the Smithsonian Institution, 1853 ; re-
signed from the University of Virginia in 1853,
and removed to his wife's former home at
"Sunny Hill," Lunenburg, Mass. He delivered
a course of lectures on the elementary laws of
physics before the Lowell Institute, 1856-57, and
also devoted much time to geological investiga-
tions. As early as 1846 he had conceived a def-
inite idea for a polytechnic school in Boston, and
in September, 1860, he submitted to the Com-
mittee of Associated Institutions of Science and
Art, of which he was chairman, the plan which
later became the basis of the Massachusetts In-
stitute of Technology. The organization was in-
corporated, April 10, 1861, on condition that
$100,000 be secured as a guarantee fund at the
expiration of one j^ear. Professor Rogers served
as chairman of the " committee of twenty "'
appointed to frame a constitution and bj'-laws
for the Institute, Jan. 11, 1861-April 8, 1862,
and on April 19 was elected the first president
of the Institute. Meanwhile he served also as
state inspector of gas meters and gas, 1861-G4,
and delivered a second course of lectures before
the Lowell Institute in 1863. In tlie year 1864
he visited Europe for the purpose of collecting
necessary machinery and apparatus for the
school which was opened for the preliminary
course, Feb. 20, 1865, and for regular courses,
Oct. 3, 1865, with about seventy students and a
faculty of ten members. In the same year the
free evening lectures of the Lowell Institute
were established in connection with the Institute
of Technology. In addition to his duties as pres-
ident Professor Rogers also held the cliair of
physics and geology until June 10, 1868. In
December, 1868, he was granted leave of absence
for one year on account of failing health, and re-
moved to Philadelphia, Pa. His improvement
not being assured, he resigned from the presi-
dency of the Institute, May 3, 1870, and was
succeeded by acting-president John D. Runkle
(q.v.). In 1874, after residence in various places.
ROCERS
rtsr:^"
he returned to Boston. Mass., and in 1878, upon
the resignation of Dr. Runkle, again assumed the
presidency of the Institute until Gen. Francis A.
Walker (q.v.) was appointed his successor. May
20, 1881. The honorary degree of LL.D. was con-
ferred upon him by Hampden Sidney college in
1848, by William and Mary, 1857, and by Har-
vard in 1866. He was chairman of the Associa-
tion of American Geologists and Naturalists in
1847 and in 1848 chairman and joint president,
with W. C. Redfield, of its successor, the Ameri-
can Association for the Advancement of Science,
serving a second time as president in 1876 ; cor-
responding secretary of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences, 1863-69 ; founder and first
