Monkey town the summer of the scopes trial book

His novels of adventure, comedy, and mystery have received the childrens choice award, an edgar award nomination, and honors from the american library association, the library of congress, and the new york public library. Billed as a cross between to kill a mockingbird and inherit the wind, this novel aims high and does not disappoint. Ronald kidd when her father hatches a plan to bring publicity to their small tennessee town by arresting a local high school teacher for teaching about evolution, the resulting 1925 scopes trial prompts. What lessons does monkey town have for us today, in a world where. It was the day a 24yearold teacher named john thomas scopes went on trial for teaching darwins theory of. In monkey town, ronald kidd has managed to tell a good story while at the same time giving detailed and accurate descriptions of the summer of the scopes trial.

The scopes trial festival, held over two weekends in july, features live bluegrass, tractor and craft shows, and a friedoreo food truck. The summer of the scopes trial by ronald kidd tells the story of johnny scopes, a highschool science teacher and parttime football coach who teaches evolution in an effort to bring a little publicity to the town. Remembering the scopes monkey trial eighty years ago, in july 1925, the mixture of religion, science and the public schools caught fire in. Frances is a 15yearold girl, and the daughter of one of the people who made the whole trial happen. List of books and articles about scopes trial online. The scopes trial, formally known as the state of tennessee v.

The author had a friend whose mother was the girl frances featured in the story. Stephen jay gould pointed out a number of misconceptions relating to the trial, and radio feature this week revisited the small town that became known for one of the most famous trials in us history. The narrator is 15yearold frances, whose father managed to convince a local teacher johnny scopes to be the focus of the test case proevolution people were looking for. An introduction to the trial of state of tennessee vs john scopes.

Readers who found jen bryants novelinpoems the trial 2004 which is built around another notorious american trial but shares many of the same themes. When her father brings publicity to their tennessee town by arresting a local teacher for teaching evolution, the resulting scopes trial prompts frances to reth. Scopes for violating the states butler act, which prohibited the teaching of evolution in public schools. Ronald kidd is the author of the highly acclaimed monkey town. For frances robinson, a fifteenyearold daydreamer with a crush on her teacher, john t. Scopes was tried in dayton, tennessee, for teaching evolution in a science classroom. Mencken applied to the 1925 prosecution of a criminal action brought by the state of tennessee against high school teacher john t. The scopes trial and americas continuing debate over science and religion. The scopes monkey trial was the moniker journalist h.

How much has the town where the scopes trial took place. After frances father decides itll bring a lot of publicity to bring a trial about teaching evolution to dayton, tn, frances starts to question what shes always been taught about religion and her dad after the scopes monkey trial begins in her town. Scopes, summer vacation promises tennis, and cocacolas from her fathers drug store. Frances robinson is fifteen years old the summer of the scopes trial. Larsons pulitzer prize winning book on the subject. John thomas scopes and commonly referred to as the scopes monkey trial, was an american legal case in july 1925 in which a high school teacher, john t. The scopes monkey trial was an american legal trial in dayton, tennessee, during the summer of 1925. Monkey town book by ronald kidd official publisher.

Readers who know the story through inherit the wind will enjoy ronald kidds retelling in monkey town. A storyteller spins his tales like a barker at a sideshow. Checkout the new famous trials website at the new website has a cleaner look, additional video and audio clips, revised trial accounts, and new features that should improve the navigation. Monkey town by ronald kidd is an interesting and informative book. Go search best sellers gift ideas new releases deals store coupons. As the 1925 trial of the century shapes up, dayton does, indeed, attract publicity. The summer of the scopes trial from the worlds largest community of readers. The defendant, john thomas scopes, was a high school coach and substitute teacher who had been charged with violating the butler act by teaching the theory of evolution in his classes. The scopes trial, commonly referred to as the scopes evolution trial or the scopes monkey trial, began on july 10th, 1925. Books for the teen age new york public library best books for young adults nominee american library association notable childrens book nominee american library association. But when francess father, the school board chairman, has scopes. The scopes trial, also known as the scopes monkey trial, was the 1925 prosecution of science teacher john scopes for teaching evolution in a tennessee public school, which a recent bill had made.

Middlegrade novel about a famous trial that was staged in dayton, tennessee in 1925. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. Scopes was accused and tried for teaching evolution to high school students. Kidd is thus convincingly able to have it both ways, respectfully acknowledging both faith and science while keeping the line between them clear. School is out in the summer of 1925 in dayton, tennessee. But when francess father, the school board chairman, has scopes arrested for teaching evolution, the sleepiest place on. Drawing incidents, dialogue and all but a few minor members of the cast from the historical record, kidd views the scopes trial through the eyes of a teenaged localweaving in a thoughtful comingofage tale in the process. Nursing both a strong crush on handsome teachercoach johnny scopes and a conviction that the sun rises and sets on her businessman father, frances rides an. The book shadows the famous scopes monkey trial, showing how it affected the the book follows a girl named frances robinson living in the small town of dayton, tennessee. Dec 12, 2006 school is out in the summer of 1925 in dayton, tennessee. Set in the summer of 1925 in dayton, tennessee, monkey town. Two of the most storied lawyers of all time argued the case. In dayton, tennessee, the socalled scopes monkey trial begins with john thomas scopes, a young high school science teacher, accused of teaching evolution in violation of a tennessee state law.

It tells the events of the scopes trial in a way that doesnt put kids to sleep as well as sticking as close to the facts as possible. As far as i can tell, this is the best work on scopes trial of 1925, even including edward j. The summer of the scopes trial is a 2006 novel written by american author ronald kidd. J what with the current debate in our culture about teaching evolution or intelligent design theory, returning to the scopes trial in the summer of 1925 helps us focus on the central arguments in the culture wars. This novel of historical fiction centers on the scopes monkey trial. Books for the teen age new york public library best books for young adults nominee american library association notable childrens book nominee. Watch monkey trial american experience official site pbs. It was the day a 24yearold teacher named john thomas scopes went on trial for teaching darwins theory of evolution in a public school classroom. The story is set in summer 1925 in dayton, tennessee, and is based on the scopes trial. The summer of the scopes trial, as well as on beale street. Scopes, was charged with violating state law by teaching charles darwins theory of evolution.

Edward larson has accomplished something wonderful with this book. After falling for her young teacher, 15yearold student frances robinson finds herself in the middle of the biggest trial of. In fact, as i explain in my book, the idea to host the scopes trial in dayton came from local politicians and businessmen who hoped a highpublicity test trial might bring some muchneeded attention to the town in the 1920s, when the local coal mining companies were really struggling. Monkey town the summer of the scopes trial by ronald kidd. But when francess father, the school board chairman, has scopes arrested for teaching evolution, the sleepiest place on earth becomes a hotbed for famous thinkers. Scopes monkey trial the first amendment encyclopedia.

Scopes trial 2 likes the textbook in question in the infamous scopes monkey trial was partially written by the harvard educated white supremacist, charles b. Scopes trial, also called the monkey trial, highly publicized trial that took place july 1021, 1925, during which a dayton, tennessee, highschool teacher, john t. It tells the events of the scopes trial in a way that doesnt put kids to sleep as well as sticking as close to. Scopes trial, tennessee legal case involving the teaching of evolution in public schools. Frances has always lived by the rules of the church and the beliefs of her father, but when a large, attention hogging, publicity filled trial sweeps through town, everything. Nursing both a strong crush on handsome teachercoach johnny scopes and a conviction that the sun rises and sets on her businessman father.

Monkey town book by ronald kidd official publisher page. But what really happens is a circuslike trial that. Remembering the scopes monkey trial eighty years ago, in july 1925, the mixture of religion, science and the public schools caught fire in dayton, tenn. To dispel the many myths surrounding the scopes trial and to educate the public about the creationevolution debate, creation science fellowship of new mexico1 is sponsoring the reenactment of the scopes trial titled monkey in the middle by gale johnson, which uses the verbatim transcript of the trial. The story is set in summer 1925 in dayton, tennessee. In only 266 pages 318 including footnotes and index, he has captured the flow of cultural issues surrounding science, education, and religion in the early twentieth century, the political goals and maneuvering of the parties involved, the actual scopes trial in dayton, tennessee with the. Frances spends the summer working at her dads drug store and rubbing elbows with all those involved in the scopes trial during 1925.