Show Barns, Service & School Pride
father put a wire long-ways over the center of the bed and put a blanket over it to shield my mother and me from the snow that was coming through the leaking roof.”
That kind of beginning can shape a person. In Rogers’ case, it built humility, work ethic, and an appreciation for every opportunity that followed. As a young boy, he earned his first money picking peas for half a cent per pound. If he gathered 100 pounds, he made 50 cents. On a really good day, he could make two or three dollars- a fortune in the eyes of a determined child. He picked tomatoes, pulled corn, turned watermelon vines, loaded produce trucks, and learned early that work mattered. Later, Rogers graduated from Athens High School in 1958 with two $ 25 Rotary Club good-citizen scholarships. He once noted that the combined amount was more than his father made in a week, and he was determined not to waste it. He attended Henderson County Junior College before graduating from Texas A & M University, then returned home to invest in the next generation.
The Teacher Who Connected
Many in Athens first knew Jerry Rogers as“ Mr. Rogers,” the math teacher who could explain numbers and make students feel seen at the same time. He taught at Athens Junior High and High School before joining Trinity Valley Community College, where he would spend nearly five decades shaping students in the classroom and beyond.
So what was his secret to connecting with young people? Not ego. Not pressure. Not lectures.“ I think the best approach... is to show them that you are interested in their success but not be pushy with ideas and thought.” That approach worked. Generations of former students still light up when his name comes up. Many remember the lessons. Even more remember the kindness.
Earlier this year, TVCC honored Rogers and his family during Teacher Appreciation Night, presenting them with a signed basketball in recognition of their years of service and the lasting impact they have had on the college community.
The Bell That Still Rings
Long before Friday night traditions became permanent fixtures, Rogers saw an opportunity to create one. In the mid-1970s, he spotted a hand-painted sign advertising a tractor for sale and drove out to take a look. By the time he arrived, the tractor was gone— but perched on top of a storm cellar was an old bell. Where others may have seen scrap metal, Rogers saw possibility. He asked the owner what he wanted for it, paid $ 50, and soon took the idea to the senior class officers. They agreed to present it to Athens High School as the Class of 1975’ s gift in 1976, the year of the nation’ s Bicentennial.
That original traveling bell would become the spark for one of Athens High School’ s most beloved traditions. Years later, after the first bell cracked from enthusiastic ringing, longtime educator and student council sponsor Rita Curington helped give the tradition new life by locating another bell at First Monday in Canton and working with students
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