ABSTRACT

Throughout childhood I loved the study of nature, and even had a “museum” in a section of our basement devoted to my collections. Natural science fascinated me. But it wasn’t until junior high school that I learned about Darwin’s theory of evolution. During my junior high school years, a man in his nineties regularly attended the Methodist church in my small hometown where my family and I were members. Decades earlier this man, Reverend Beacom, had been the

minister at this church. By the time he entered my life he had retired, and with his wife had moved back to this town. Somehow he learned that I was interested in science; he encouraged me to drop by his home anytime after school. “I love science,” he said, “and I’d like to have you tell me about what you’re learning.”