Blast from the past

Things have been rather slow around here, thus the dearth of updated blog posts. So, I thought I would share with y’all some old documents I’ve been scanning in as part of my research into the history of creationism in Florida. Enjoy! All files are pdf.

I’ve written quite a bit about retired Rev. Winslow and his efforts to combat evolution in the public schools back in the 1970s and 1980s. Here is a letter of his from October 1975 to the Hillsborough County schools superintendent. “As chairman of the Committee for Creationism in Education, I would like to have the privilege of explaining our objective involving an adjustment in education throughout the state.” And here is another letter from December 1979 that includes his “The Supreme Court Approves Teaching Historic Creation” resolution. Take note of how the organization changed from the Committee for Creationism in Education in 1975 to the Compatriots for Academic Freedom in 1979. Does that change have a familiar ring to it?

Apparently, the Orange County school district had a brush with creationism in 1977. Anyone know about this? If so, please contact me and fill me in; I know nothing about it other than this letter from August 1977 from the American Humanist Association responding to the school district’s science program coordinator who wanted to know the organization’s stance.

And here is a letter from the executive secretary of the Florida Foundation for Future Scientists in January 1980. The FFFS was asked to provide a statement about creationism/evolution, but such a request is “outside the charter” so the writer instead issued a statement “speaking as a scientific professional.”

I’ve got a ton more of these documents, and I’ll feed more to ya as I get the time. And, as always, if you know any details about any of this stuff and would care to share, please contact me!