Inherit the Wind is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which resulted in John T. Scopes' conviction for teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to a high school science class, contrary to a Tennessee state law.  The role of Matthew Harrison Brady is intended to reflect the personality and beliefs of William Jennings Bryan, while that of Henry Drummond is intended to be similar to that of Clarence Darrow.  Bryan and Darrow, formerly close friends, opposed one another at the Scopes trial.  The character of E. K. Hornbeck is modeled on that of H. L. Mencken, who covered the trial for The Baltimore Sun, and the character of Bertram Cates corresponds to Scopes.  However, the playwrights state in a note at the opening of the play that it is not meant to be a historical account, and there are numerous instances where events were substantially altered or invented.  For instance, the characters of the preacher and his daughter were fictional, the townspeople were not hostile towards those who had come to Dayton for the trial, and Bryan offered to pay Scopes' fine if he was convicted.  Bryan did die shortly after the trial, but it happened five days later in his sleep.  Political commentator Steve Benen said of the play's inaccuracies:  "Scopes issued no plea for empathy, there was no fiancee and the real Scopes was never arrested.  In fact, the popular film that was nominated for four Academy Awards and has helped shape the American understanding of the 'Scopes Monkey Trial' for decades is an inadequate reflection of history."  Lawrence explained in a 1996 interview that the drama's purpose was to criticize the then-current state of McCarthyism.  The play was also intended to defend intellectual freedom.  According to Lawrence, "we used the teaching of evolution as a parable, a metaphor for any kind of mind control . . .  It's not about science versus religion.  It's about the right to think."   Lawrence and Lee’s play was rejected by eight Broadway producers before coming to the attention of Margot Jones, a theater director and producer in Dallas, Texas.  With Jones directing, Inherit the Wind premiered in Dallas on January 10, 1955, and received rave reviews.  The Broadway rights were soon acquired by Herman Shumlin, and the play opened at Broadway’s National Theatre on April 21, 1955.  Shumlin directed, with actors Paul Muni, Ed Begley and Tony Randall in the cast.  It played on Broadway until June 22, 1957, where it closed after 806 performances.  It was revived on Broadway twice:  April 4, 1996- May 12, 1996 and April 12, 2007-July 8, 2007.   Screen adapations:   Inherit the Wind (1960 film), directed by Stanley Kramer; starring Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly; Inherit the Wind (1965 film), a television film starring Melvyn Douglas, Ed Begley and Murray Hamilton; Inherit the Wind (1988 film), a television film starring Jason Robards, Kirk Douglas, and Darren McGavin; Inherit the Wind (1999 film), a television film starring Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott, and Beau Bridges  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inherit_the_Wind_(play)

To gainsay is to declare false or to contradict.  It’s a transitive verb, meaning it has to act upon something.  You can’t just say “I gainsay,” period; you have to gainsay something.  And what’s gainsaid is not the person you disagree with but the statement you wish to contradict.  For instance, if you disagree with our definition of gainsay, you don’t gainsay us; you gainsay our definition.  Though gainsay has a certain appeal, it can have an archaic ring outside legal contexts, and it often bears replacement with alternatives such as dispute and contradict.  There’s nothing incorrect about it, though, and it does appear occasionally even in mainstream writing from this century.  The word has origins in Old English.  The first syllable, gain, is etymologically related to against (and is unrelated to our modern sense of gain), so we can think of gainsay as a sort of contraction of say against.  https://grammarist.com/words/gainsay/

Alexander Johnston Cassatt (1839-1906) was the seventh president of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), serving from June 9, 1899, to December 28, 1906.  The painter Mary Cassatt was his sister.  Frequently referred to as A. J. Cassatt, the great accomplishment under his stewardship was the planning and construction of tunnels under the Hudson River to finally bring PRR's trunk line into New York City.  His purchase of a controlling interest in the Long Island Rail Road and the construction of tunnels under the East River created a PRR commuter network on Long Island.  Unfortunately, Cassatt died before his grand Pennsylvania Station in New York City was completed.  Cassatt joined the PRR in 1861 as an engineer and rapidly rose through the ranks.  He was a vice president in 1877 when the Pittsburgh Railway Riots broke out in 1877, and had become Pennsy First Vice-President by 1880.  He was disappointed to be passed over for the presidency and resigned from the company in 1882.  During his absence he devoted his time to horse raising but still was able to organize a new railroad the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad (NYP&N), that connected southern markets with the north.  Despite no longer being an executive with PRR, he was elected to the PRR's board of directors and was recalled in 1899 to serve as president.  Cassatt more than doubled the PRR's total assets during his term, from US$276 million to US$594 million (an increase of 115 percent).  Track and equipment investment increased by 146 percent. The route from New York through Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Altoona to Pittsburgh was made double-tracked throughout; to Washington, D.C., four-tracked—Pennsy's "Broad Way."  Many other lines were double-tracked; almost every part of the system was improved.  New freight cutoffs avoided stations; grade crossings were eliminated, flyovers were built to streamline common paths through junctions, terminals were redesigned, and much more.  Cassatt initiated the Pennsy's program of electrification which led to the road being the United States' most electrified system.  In 1910, the Pennsylvania Railroad erected a statue of Cassatt designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman at the new Pennsylvania Station, New York.  The statue had the following inscription:  Alexander Johnston Cassatt  President of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, 1899–1906  Whose foresight, courage and ability achieved the extension of the Pennsylvania [Railroad] system into New York City  The statue is currently located at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Cassatt

A menhir (from Brittonic languages: maen or men, "stone" and hir or hîr, "long") standing stone, orthostat, or lith is a large man-made upright stone, typically dating from the European middle Bronze Age. They can be found solely as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones.  Menhirs' size can vary considerably, but they are generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top.  They are widely distributed across Europe, Africa and Asia, but most numerous in Western Europe; particularly in Ireland, Great Britain, Brittany and France, where there are about 50,000 examples, while there are 1,200 menhirs in northwest France alone.  Standing stones are usually difficult to date, but pottery, or pottery shards, found underneath some in Atlantic Europe connects them with the Beaker people.  They are sometimes called megalithic monuments.  These are sites of ancient religious ceremonies, sometimes containing burial chambers.  The exact function of menhirs has provoked more debate than practically any other issue in European pre-history.  See graphics at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menhir

Syllabubs are one of the oldest of all English desserts, and they have been known in this country since the first American colonies were established.  The odd-sounding name itself—sometimes spelled ‘sillibub’—comes from the early English word ‘silly,’ meaning ‘happy.’  As you will see, it is a very happy alcoholic dessert indeed.  – James Beard  Find recipe at

https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/syllabub

BREAD CARE  Remove bread from the paper bag.  Double bag the loaf in plastic bags.  Freeze.  When you’re ready to eat:  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove bread from the freezer.  Take off the plastic bags.  Place frozen naked loaf into heated oven.  Leave it there for 40 minutes.  Take the loaf out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.  https://www.zingermansbakehouse.com/real-bread/bread-care/  If you plan to serve the bread at room temperature, just let it thaw after removing from the freezer.

When President Andrew Jackson took office in 1829, his official Cabinet was fractured by factional disputes, largely resulting from the fierce rivalry between Vice President John C. Calhoun and Secretary of State Martin Van Buren.  The infighting was so pronounced that the Cabinet became virtually ineffectual, and Jackson stopped holding Cabinet meetings.  He turned instead to an unofficial group of trusted friends and advisors, mocked in the rival press as the “Kitchen Cabinet.”  Francis Preston Blair was a valued member.  The Kitchen Cabinet played an important role in the Jackson administration until 1831.  That year, controversy within the official Cabinet provoked the resignation of Van Buren and Secretary of War John Eaton, which allowed Jackson to request the resignations of all of the remaining members.  The Kitchen Cabinet gradually declined with the success of his next official Cabinet, but Jackson’s bond with Blair remained strong to the President’s death in 1842.  http://www.blairhouse.org/history/historical-events/jackson-and-the-kitchen-cabinet

Baby Spinach and Watermelon Salad with Feta and Pistachios  Jeff Mauro  https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jeff-mauro/baby-spinach-and-watermelon-salad-with-feta-and-pistachios-5257081  You can substitute peeled, cubed cucumbers for spinach.

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2115  June 24, 2019