News Journal archives: Scopes evolution trial, Ferraro nominated as VP, Live Aid

"Pages of history" features excerpts from The News Journal archives including The Morning News and the Evening Journal.

July 11, 1925, Evening Journal

Lawyers for Scopes plan stiff fight; jury selected in evolution case

Clarence Darrow and his staff of legal assistants went into conference early today, to decide how to meet the unexpected resistance of William Jennings Bryan and other prosecution lawyers to the admission of scientific evidence.

The defense regards the evidence question as the most vital of the whole case and is ready for a long and spectacular battle in defense of its rights when the matter comes up in court Monday.

Upon this scientific testimony the defense hopes to prove that evolution must be regarded as a subject that cannot, under the constitution of either Tennessee or the United States, be barred from the schools, and hence the law which their client, John T. Scopes, is accused of violating, is invalid….

Decline in marriages; Dr. Wilson says young men and women want easy lives

Present-day marriages are falling off because responsible people are pausing before they enter a contract in which too few nowadays succeed.

Divorces are climbing steadily because irresponsible ones are rushing in with the idea that they can get out of it easily.

Those are the views of Dr. Clarence T. Wilson, secretary of the Methodist Board of Temperance and Morals, expressed in an interview commenting on…Commerce Department reports showing marriages in nine representative states had decreased 6% in 1924 whereas divorces had increased 6%.

“Marriage is falling off because young men want an easy ‘snap,’ both in business and domestic life,” Dr. Wilson says….

“A nation has no future when marriage vows are lax and standards of morality are low. This is what caused the downfall of Rome.”

MORE ON MARRIAGE:Her famous husband casts a shadow. Dogfish Head co-founder Mariah Calagione still shines.

July 13, 1984, The Morning News

Ferraro first woman nominated by major party for vice president

Walter F. Mondale on Thursday named Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro, D-N.Y., as his running mate, the first woman selected to run for that office on a major-party ticket.

Mondale, the probable Democratic presidential nominee, announced his historic step before an ebullient crowd at the Minnesota State Capitol. He introduced Ferraro by saying, “I looked for the best vice president and I found her in Gerry Ferraro.”…

The 48-year-old former teacher and assistant prosecutor from Queens County broke into a wide grin as Mondale said, “I’m delighted to announce that I will ask the Democratic convention” to ratify her…

July 14, 1985, Sunday News Journal

A rock concert for the world

The most common greeting Saturday was “Hello World!” and indeed it seemed the whole world was watching as Live Aid megabenefit concerts in Philadelphia and London raised tens of millions of dollars for hunger relief in Africa.

The 90,000 sunburned but festive rock fans at John F. Kennedy Stadium and 72,000 others at London’s Wembley Stadium were but a drop in the bucket of a worldwide television audience of as many as 2 billion. As the concert ended, donations had surpassed $40 million….

“It’s not just the greatest show on Earth,” said concert organizer and Boomtown Rats lead singer Bob Geldof, “it’s the greatest gig in the galaxy.”…

Prince Charles and Princess Diana, seated in the royal box with David Bowie and Elton John, opened the Wembley concert, waving to the crowd as “God Save the Queen” was played. They were followed quickly by Status Quo performing “Rocking All Over the World.”

Two hours later, actor Jack Nicholson introduced singer Joan Baez to the Philadelphia crowd. “Good morning, children of the 80s,” she shouted. “This is your Woodstock and it’s long overdue.”

Several reunited bands, including Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Who and Crosby, Stills & Nash, added to the concert’s one-time-only atmosphere….

CATCH UP ON HISTORY:News Journal archives, week of June 5

July 16, 1979, The Morning News

Carter: Oil crisis will test U.S.

President Carter last night described the United States as a nation beset by a crisis of confidence, confessed to shortcomings in his own leadership and asked Americans to rally against the energy problem as the first test of “our ability to unite this nation.”

His solemn address to the nation climaxed his so-called domestic summit conference at Camp David….

Carter said he never again will allow the nation to import more foreign oil than it did in 1977, when the U.S. imported 8.5 million barrels a day.

He will request “the most massive peacetime commitment of funds and resources in our nation’s history” to develop energy from coal and oil shale, and energy from gasohol and the sun.

He’s asking Congress to require the nation’s utilities to reduce their use of oil by 50% within the next decade…

He has already imposed rules, approved by Congress, requiring that air conditioning in commercial buildings be set no lower than 78 degrees starting today….

Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Pages of history: From The News Journal archives, week of July 10