The 25th annual Scopes Festival again will include an activity featuring oral history shared through the generations. “Family’s stories are a wonderful way to keep alive first hand accounts of the trial,” according to Rebecca Tucker, coordinator of the event.
Descendents of those directly involved with the trial will participate in a question and answer session on July 20 where their younger family members will engage them in conversation about their ancestors’ stories concerning the trial.
Among those scheduled to participate are Chancellor Jeffery Stewart, grandson of Tom Stewart, district attorney who brought legal charges against John T. Scopes. Chancellor Stewart currently works in the same courthouse where his grandfather prosecuted Scopes for breaking the law by teaching evolution at Rhea Central High School. “I have some of my grandfather’s original documents from the trial,” Chancellor Stewart said.
Another participant, Rhea County General Sessions Court Judge James McKenzie, continues the jurist legacy of the McKenzie family. During the Scopes Festival, Judge McKenzie, daughter Brittany West, and granddaughter, Ally West will converse as he recounts stories from his grandfather and uncle who were members of the prosecution team at the trial.
Rhea County Historian Pat Guffey will share her family’s stories from the trial. Her great grandfather, Dr. Walter Thomison attended William Jennings Bryan on that fateful Sunday afternoon when Bryan died in Dayton. Mrs. Guffey has her great aunt’s letters from a continuing friendship with a reporter sent to Dayton to cover the trial.
Donna Taylor, Rhea county native, learned about Dayton in the 1920s from her mother, a longtime spokesperson meeting with those seeking trial information. She will be passing to her grandson some of those stories she has learned.
Cecil Smith of Spring City will be sharing family stories with his daughter. Smith’s grandfather served as a member of the all-male jury of 1925.
Judy Barth, a Bryan College graduate whose family had close connections to John R. Neal, defense attorney during the trial, will be telling about her father’s experiences as a law student of John R. Neal. Barth’s daughter, Anna Tromanhauser, will learn about her mother’s meeting with Neal and visiting in his Rhea County home.
The session entitled “The History Within Us” seeks to share information held within the memories of many area residents. Additionally festival goers will be encouraged to share the history within their minds and to engage family and friends to learn their memories of significant historical events and special personal times .
“The History Within Us” session will begin Saturday, July 20, at 10 a.m. in the General Sessions Courtroom on the first floor of the Rhea County Courthouse. The public is invited to attend this activity which is free to all guests.
The festival committee will film this event to document family memories. Entry throughout the session will be possible following each family segment. A printed schedule and an usher at the doorway will assist festival guests moving into or out of the courtroom.
For more information about the festival, visit the website, www.scopesfestival.com, or call MainStreet Dayton at 775-9847.