THE INCORPORATORS 1 77 



scientific lecturers of his time. He and his brothers Henry and 

 Robert performed most important worlc for American geology 

 by presenting the results of their observations in a series of 

 papers of enduring importance. The wave theory of mountain 

 chains, vv^hich was the result of extended study of the Appa- 

 lachian chain in Pennsylvania and Virginia, excited great interest 

 at the time of its presentation and was confirmed by later obser- 

 vations. 



Removing to Boston in 1853, Professor Rogers was associated 

 with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the 

 Boston Society of Natural History. At this time, his work was 

 largely in physics. The variations of ozone in the atmosphere, 

 improvements of the Ruhmkorfif coil, some phenomena of sight 

 and the properties of sonorous flames were among the subjects 

 he investigated. He was appointed by Governor Andrew 

 inspector of gas and gas-meters for the State of Massachusetts, 

 and made a visit to Europe, in 1864, to study the latest methods. 

 At this time he delivered at Bath a paper before the British 

 Association for the Advancement of Science. The establishment 

 of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology of which Professor 

 Rogers was the first president, was due to his labors which 

 continued until his death. Physical inability obliging him to 

 desist for a while from active work and finally to resign the 

 presidency, though remaining professor emeritus of physics and 

 geology, his last act was performed in the interest of the students. 

 Rising to present the diplomas to the graduating class he had 

 uttered but a few words, when he fell lifeless to the platform. 

 Thus on the 30th of May, 1882, was closed a life devoted to the 

 search of scientific truths and their presentation in a manner so 

 attractive and so convincing as to impress their importance on 

 the minds of others. 



Professor Rogers was the third President of the National 

 Academy of Sciences and served from 1879 to 1882. 



(From Francis A. Walker, in Biographical Memoirs of the National 

 Academy of Sciences, vol. 3, 1895, pp. 1-13.) 



