George Alfred Sanders is a Kansas educator of wide experience and exceptional qualifications for hosts of responsibilities, and is now superintendent of the Roseland schools. On May 14, 1917, he will become County Superintendent of Cherokee County for a term of two years.
He represents a family that were pioneers in Kansas, and in the different generations the people of the Sanders name have closely followed the westward movement of civilization in America. His original ancestors came out of Germany, first settling in Pennsylvania. From there they went west and shared in the early developments of the States of Indiana and Michigan. Professor Sanders’, grandfather was a native of Michigan, and brought his family to Cherokee County, Kansas, in 1869. He was here almost as soon as the Indians left, and by his thrift and industry developed a farm from some land that for generations had been the hunting ground of the Indian tribes. He died in Cherokee County before Professor Sanders was born.
Mr. George A. Sanders, who was born in Cherokee County July 27, 1885, is a son of William A. Sanders, who had spent the best years of his life as a practical farmer in Cherokee County. He was born in Michigan in 1859, and was ten years of age when he came with his parents to Cherokee County. He grew up on a farm, and had found agriculture both a congenial and a profitable pursuit. For many years he had lived on his farm in Lola Township, twelve miles southwest of Columbus. He owned 240 acres there, and by his fruits he provided for the rearing and training of his children and had a provision against old age. William A. Sanders is a democrat, is an active member and deacon of the Christian Church, and is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. He married Miss Florence Hayden, who was born in Cherokee County in 1867. They have two sons: George A. and C. H. Sanders. The latter lives on a farm adjoining that of his father in Lola Township.
The public schools of Cherokee County gave George A. Sanders the basis of his education, and in 1907 he completed the course of the Cherokee County High School. Since then he had been an active teacher. For one year he taught at Galena, spent two years as a teacher in the rural schools, and had recently begun his seventh consecutive year as superintendent of the Roseland schools. Under his supervision are three schools, a corps of nine teachers, and enrollment of pupils that aggregate 500. Mr. Sanders is an enthusiastic school man, and is constantly working to improve the standards of instruction and methods that will give the pupils of the Roseland school a thorough, systematic training for life.
Mr. Sanders is also interested in farming, owning a place of forty acres in Lola Township. Politically he is a democrat, is an active member of the Christian Church, and was formerly a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He is well known in the Southeastern Kansas Teachers’ Association.
In 1911, at Oswego, Kansas, he married Miss Sadie Earl, a daughter of Albert and Edna (Lamaster) Earl. Her family were among the early settlers of Cherokee County, and her parents now live retired at Oswego. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders have two children: George Earl, born September 10, 1914, and Florence Edna, born November 7, 1916.