The World's Most Famous Court Trial: Tennessee Evolution Case : a Complete Stenographic Report of the Famous Court Test of the Tennessee Anti-Evolution Act, at Dayton, July 10 to 21, 1925, Including Speeches and Arguments of Attorneys

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The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd., 1997 - Law - 339 pages
Complete transcript of the controversial "Scopes Monkey Trial" which tested the law that made it illegal for public school teachers in Tennessee to teach Charles Darwin's theory of evolution The complete transcript of the 1925 case of the State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, a 24-year old high school teacher accused of violating the Butler Act, which had passed in Tennessee on March 21, 1925, forbidding the teaching, in any state-funded educational establishment, of "any theory that denies the story of the divine creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals." The law made it. Perhaps the first modern media event, the trial attracted enormous national and international attention to the small town of Dayton, Tennessee during the sweltering July of 1925. A star-studded cast of trial attorneys included the great orator and three time Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan and the brilliant trial lawyer and champion of the downtrodden, Clarence Darrow, among others. The climax of the trial came on the seventh day when the defense put the senior Bryan on the stand as an expert on the Bible and he was ruthlessly interrogated by Darrow. As a milestone in the American struggle between modernity and the forces of Protestant fundamentalism, and a vivid manifestation of the clash between two valid principles-academic freedom and democratic control of the public schools-the Scopes case has tremendous historical significance. Scopes was found guilty, and paid a fine of $100. and costs. At the sentencing, he told the Judge, "I feel that I have been convicted of violating an unjust statute. I will continue in the future, as I have in the past, to oppose this law in any way I can. Any other action would be in violation of my ideal of academic freedom-that is, to teach the truth as guaranteed in our Constitution, of personal and religious freedom. I think the fine is unjust." William Jennings Bryan died a few days after the trial ended. Clarence Darrow moved on to other cases, most notably the Sweet case in Detroit in 1926 and his last trial, the Massie trial in Honolulu in 1931. Illustrated with photographs from the trial. This edition also includes statements by scientists entered at the defense's request, and the text of a lengthy concluding speech that Bryan prepared but never delivered. Clarence Darrow [1857-1938] was a well-known trial lawyer renowned for his progressive sympathies and successful work for labor and the poor. He achieved fame for his defense of Leopold and Loeb in 1924, the Massie trial in 1931 and this, his most famous, defense of John Scopes in 1925-the only time Darrow ever volunteered his services in a case, a case in which he saw education "in danger from the source that always hampered it-religious fanaticism."

From inside the book

Contents

Chapter Page
3
Second Day Monday July 13
13
Chapter pae
20
Third Day Tuesday July 14
89
Fourth Day Wednesday July 15
95
Bryans Son Speaks for State
150
Sue Hicks for State
160
Mr Bryan on Exclusion of Evidence
170
Sixth Day Friday July 17
201
Darrow ApologizesForgiven
225
Dr H E Murkett
229
Wilber A Nelson
238
Metcalf
251
Prof Horatio H Newman
263
The Sign Bead Your Bible Gives Offense
280
Eighth Day Tuesday July 21
305

Malones Fiery Speech in Reply to Bryan
183
Stewart Closes Argument on Admission of Expert Testimony
190
SupplementBryans Last Speech
321
Copyright

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Page 101 - The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the State to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.
Page 3 - And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night: and the evening and the morning were the first day.
Page 67 - Without doubt, it denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.
Page 98 - Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, that it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals, and all other public schools of the State, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man, as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead, that man has descended from a lower order of animals.
Page 47 - That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; that no man can, of right, be compelled to attend, erect or support any place, of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; and that no preference shall ever be given by law, to any religious establishments or modes of worship.
Page 97 - That no man shall be taken or imprisoned, or disseized of his freehold, liberties, or privileges, or outlawed, or exiled, or in any manner destroyed, or deprived of his life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land.
Page 318 - But then arises the doubt, can the mind of man, which has, as I fully believe, been developed from a mind as low as that possessed by the lowest animals, be trusted when it draws such grand conclusions ? " I cannot pretend to throw the least light on such abstruse problems.
Page 4 - Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat.
Page 295 - Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children ; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

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