First RV Trip of 2023 – Day 2 - Scopes Monkey Trial

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Day two of our RV rally began with a breakfast of  turkey salad for me and a trip to a Van Go professional knife sharpener to work on our (including neighbors) 33 knives, 10 scissors, and 5 garden pruners.  He charged $5 for most knives and scissors then one item was $15 - it sure is nice to have them all very sharp again and he told me how to keep them that way - give the knife a couple of licks on a steel every time you pick it up, not just each time you use it.

After a group lunch at the pavilion of leftovers from last nights supper, we headed over to the old courthouse for presentation in the Scopes Monkey Trial Museum then we went upstairs to the very warm courtroom.  This is the old courthouse outside and a statue of William Jennings Bryan.

Our group.

We had a private tour that was led by a local resident and he really knew the trial details and was very informative.  While I had heard of the trial from many years ago, I knew none of the details.

The July, 1925 trial involved the prosecution of John T. Scopes by the state for teaching evolution in school in violation of a new Tennessee Law.  Scopes was actually recruited to be the defendant as the ACLU and others wanted to get the Tennessee Law tested in the legal system.  The lawyer for the prosecution was William Jennings Bryan and for the defense was Clarence Darrow and due to the national attention, it put Dayton, TN on the map.  Scopes was convicted and fined $100 which was later reversed.  On an odd note, Bryan died in Dayton a few days after the trial.

After the tour, it was supper at the Dayton Coffee Shop which was your basic meat and three comfort food place. 

The food got mixed reviews but some of the meals looked great.

Then another evening of sitting around the fire and visiting.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

05/09/23 meal date