{"id":2083,"date":"2013-10-29T22:03:31","date_gmt":"2013-10-30T02:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/getitright.pmss.net\/?page_id=2083"},"modified":"2021-05-15T15:10:55","modified_gmt":"2021-05-15T19:10:55","slug":"burton-rogers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/staging.pinemountainsettlement.net\/?page_id=2083","title":{"rendered":"BURTON ROGERS Director"},"content":{"rendered":"
Pine Mountain Settlement School
\nSeries 7: Director’s Files
\nSeries 9: Staff\/Personnel<\/h5>\n

BURTON ROGERS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Burton Rogers:\u00a0<\/strong>
\nCounselor, Teacher 1942 – 1945<\/strong>
\nCounselor, Teacher, Principal 1947 – 1949<\/strong>
\n Director 1949 – 1973<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Burton

Burton Brush Rogers. [rogers_mod.jpg]<\/p><\/div>Burton Rogers, Director of Pine Mountain Settlement School from 1949 to 1973, was the longest occupant of that office in the history of the School. In his role as Director he helped to shepherd the School through some of its most complex changes and re-positioning, assisting the institution and staff as it moved from a residential boarding school to a community school and then through the closure altogether of the public education program on the school grounds.<\/p>\n

With his wife, Mary Blagden Rogers,<\/a> he built a new direction for the School in the Environmental Education programs and multiple community outreach initiatives.<\/p>\n

Burton Brush Rogers was born May 3, 1909, on a farm in Sherman, Connecticut. In 1930, he received an undergraduate degree in American History from the Yale College of Yale University in New Haven, CT. Upon graduation, he went to China for eight years as a member of the staff of the Yale-in-China program, where he taught in the English as a Second Language program at the Yali Union Middle School in Changsha.<\/p>\n

He left China in 1934 to study for his master’s degree in education at Yale University.\u00a0He completed one year at Yale and the remaining three terms at the University of London in England. After graduation, Burton returned to China and provided four additional years of instruction at Yali Union Middle School.<\/p>\n

Burton met Mary Blagden during his time in London, and when he returned to China, he continued to write to Mary. In the summer of 1940 he traveled to India where Mary was an instructor at a school in Murhu, India, near Ranchi, where they were married. Mary and Burton then returned to China where they both taught for another year before the political climate became too hostile and the Chinese Civil War too dangerous to continue working there.<\/p>\n

\"Burton

Burton and Mary Rogers and son, Christopher. [X_100_workers_2654_mod.jpg]<\/p><\/div>By 1941 Burton and Mary had returned once again to Yale University where Burton began work on a doctorate of religious education at the Yale Divinity School. During that time, Burton and Mary explored work placements in rural locations. According to information provided by the family of Burton and Mary, they were interested in “a rural setting that offered education beyond standard academics.” They found that workplace at Pine Mountain Settlement School and, in April of 1942, came to Pine Mountain, Burton as a counselor and teacher, and Mary as a housemother.<\/p>\n

They continued their interest in China, but never were able to visit or work there again. In 1945, however, Burton traveled back to India to serve two years as staff for the American Friends Service Committee. [Click here<\/a><\/strong> for images and transcription of Rogers’ 1945-1946 report\u00a0of his first year back in India.]<\/p>\n

By 1947 they returned to Pine Mountain where they were to remain for approximately the next forty-six years.\u00a0For the first several years he worked again as a counselor\/teacher and then as principal of the School. In 1949 he assumed the role of Director, a position he held until 1973.<\/p>\n\n\t\t