Kentucky students were introduced to evolutionary theory as
early as 1900. This photograph of an
early zoology class has written on the chalkboard, “The Evolution of Evolution Theories.”
This was long before the controversy regarding teaching evolutionary theory in
the 1920s.
William Jennings Bryan was the leading antievolutionist of
the time. He is pictured here in the
back seat next to President Barker (wearing the bowler hat) in front of the
Main Building. This was few years before
the controversy picked up steam. Dean of
mechanical engineering, Paul Anderson, is driving the car. Among the students on the steps is James G.
White (with the white beard), mathematics instructor. In 1922, Bryan returned to Kentucky and spoke
in Lexington, Paris, Danville, and before the legislature in Frankfort in favor
of the antievolution bill.
John T. Scopes, UK class of 1924, went on to teach high
school in Tennessee where he was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act,
which made it unlawful to teach human evolution
in any state-funded school. He later faced
Bryan in the famous Scopes “monkey trial” of 1925 or formally The State of
Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes.
 |
| For May Day in 1926, UK students have a little fun with the controversy. |
Posts
