DARWINIAN THEORY

Northern Advocate, 11 July 1925, Page 5

DARWINIAN THEORY

DANDY TIME IN DAYTON. AN ALL-ROUND BOOST. (Received .12.30 p.m.) NEW YORK;, July 10. A message from Dayton, Tennessee, states that a curious mixture of the spirit of carnival and fanaticism has seized the town in consequence of a great flood of visitors intent on hearing the trial of John Scopes, a teacher of biology, charged with teaching the Darwinian theory of evolution in violation of a recent Tennessee statute forbidding instruction in matters contiary to the letter of the Bible on the subject of the Creation. Circus and refreshment concessions have been rented by the Town Council, which will use the proceeds to refurnish the Courthouse, repair the town clock, paint rest benches, sweep the streets and hire policemen to assist the town's solitary marshal to direct heavy traffic. Gay bunting covcrs stores and residences during the daytime, while coals glow at night, under a beef-roasting concession, on the Courthouse lawn. Hundreds of newspapermen and numerous photographers are present and give every happening publicity all over the country.

An army of evangelists from all p. rts of the United States is holding prayer meetings in halls and in the open air, day. and night, in support of the prosecution. The following is typical of their outbursts: "I tell you,' they nre nothing but a big bunch of anarchists, atheists and scoundrels who are trying to take our children to Hell with them." Numerous roadway posters exhort passers-by to "read the Bible and be saved." Competing for attention are signs of local realtors reading: "Locate, build and prosper in Dayton."—A. and N.Z. '