Page:F. R. (Fairman Rogers) 1833-1900, Furness, 1903.djvu/23

Rh in The University, he was elected one of the Directors of The Academy of the Fine Arts. Herein he found a field extremely congenial to his tastes,—the artistic blood of his grandfather was always stirring in him. What admirable fruit his zeal and enthusiasm bore let the following minute tell, which was adopted by the Board of Directors, after the tidings of his death in Vienna reached this country:—

'Mr. Rogers was elected a member of the Board in 1871, and for twelve years served the interests of the institution with rare intelligence and devotion.

'At the time of his election the Academy was preparing to give up its old habitation on Chestnut Street, and Mr. Rogers became Chairman of the Committee in charge of the present building. In its internal design and arrangement much that is admirable and best is owing to his careful and earnest thought.

'Upon completion of the work in 1876,—the year of the Nation's Centennial Anniversary,—he became Chairman of the Committee on Instruction. The period was an important era in Art Education in the United States. Under Mr. Rogers the school system of the Academy was wholly reorganized upon a basis so thorough that the schools rose to the highest point reached in this country, and for the first time women were admitted to