Pages 141-142, transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas: embellished with portraits of well known people of these counties, with biographies of our representative citizens, cuts of public buildings and a map of each county / Edited and Compiled by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott. Iola Registers, Printers and Binders, Iola, Kan.: 1901; 894 p., [36] leaves of plates: ill., ports.; includes index.



 

  WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS. 141

SHERMAN G. ROGERS.

SHERMAN G. ROGERS—Sherman G. Rogers is actively and prominently connected with educational interests in Allen County, his ability in the line of his chosen calling having won him prestige as an instructor. His life cannot fail to prove of interest, showing as it does the opportunities that lie before men of determined purpose, for at the early age of eleven years he started out to earn his own living and has since been depending entirely upon his own resources. Such a history is an exemplification of the lines of the poet who wrote:

"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate
  Can circumvent or hinder or control
  The firm resolve of a determined soul.
Gifts count for little; will alone is great;
All things give way before it, soon or late."

Professor Rogers was born in Adams County, Indiana, on the 23rd of January, 1868, his parents being James and Margaret (Pitts) Rogers, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, The mother died in 1875, leaving four children, of whom Mr. Rogers of this review is the youngest. He was then eleven years of age. In 1879 his father removed to Kansas, purchasing a farm in Osage township, Allen County, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, his death occurring about three months later. Sherman G. Rogers was then left an orphan, and, receiving no patrimony, he was forced to provide for his own livelihood. Having acquired his preliminary education in the common schools he desired to further perfect his knowledge and to this end he pursued a two years' course in the Fort Scott Normal, meeting the expenses of his normal study with money which he had himself earned. Subsequently he learned telegraphy at Moran and secured a position on the Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad, but after a year he resigned in order to enter upon educational labor. He successfully passed the teachers' examination, received his certificate and secured a school in the district where he had acquired his education when a boy. For seven years he has been a representative of the profession, being employed in various parts of Allen County, and is now for the fourth term acting as teacher in the East Liberty school district. As a student he was thorough, fully mastering the branches to which he gave his consideration, and now he has the faculty of imparting clearly and concisely the knowledge he has acquired. At the present time he is devoting his leisure to the study of medicine, under the direction of Dr. O'Flyng, of Elsmore, perusing the medical text books after his day's work in the school room is ended. His strong force of character, laudable ambition and resolute purpose will enable him to achieve success in whatever line of life he decides to cast his lot. He is also engaged in teaching several classes in vocal music, possessing considerable talent in that direction. He is now serving as chorister and Sunday School superintendent in the Methodist Episcopal church in Elsmore. It would be almost tautological in this connection to say that he is a man of broad mind and progressive spirit, for these have been shadowed forth between the lines of this review. Although he is a young

142 HISTORY OF ALLEN AND  

man, his career is one worthy of emulation, being characterized by marked fidelity to duty, by earnest purpose, by manly principles and sincere actions.


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