Salem City Councilman Jim Koehler who has spearheaded the renovation of the William Jennings Bryan Birthplace on South Broadway says he was blown away by the more than 250 who attended the Sunday open house.
Koehler noted past events tied to Bryan’s birthday have only attracted around 30 people.
“I think a lot of people were woke up to a lot of things they didn’t know about William Jennings Bryan and now they are willing to help us and things so we were elated about the day.”
Koehler says the highlight for many was seeing the just completed kitchen renovation with period furnishings. With the renewed interest, Koehler wants to work towards the home being open one day a month for tours. He says other improvements to the home are still needed and being planned.
The speaker at the program that followed at the First Presbyterian Church, Professor Dr. Christopher Oldenburg of Illinois College, called his first visit to the Bryan Birthplace a ‘spiritual pilgrimage’ after all the work he has done on researching Bryan’s career and time as a student at Illinois College. He shares Koehler’s thoughts that Bryan can become a bigger tourist attraction for Salem.
“I teach public speaking and I don’t care what kind of technology or social media comes along, there is nothing that will replace standing in front of an audience and delivering an oration that spell-binds them, captivates and engages them, and that is will William Jennings Bryan was amazing at doing.”
Oldenburg says Bryan also had several ‘firsts’ to his credit.
“Populism is on the rise and a strategy politicians are using because it works. Bryan knew that and kind of pioneered that. He pioneered the whistle-stop tour and sometimes he stopped and talked about 25 times a day. He knew what the people wanted, and had the moral conviction with the heart of a commoner to speak truth to that.”
Illinois College Professor Dr. Christopher Oldenburg discusses the life of William Jennings Bryan during a presentation Sunday at the Salem Presbyterian Church. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
The City of Salem is planning to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial during a Bryan Fest next July. The Scopes Money Trial featured Bryan and another SCHS graduate John Scopes on opposite sides of a Tennessee law that made it illegal for teachers to teach human evolution in any state-funded school.
The Salem Community High School Art Department just repainted the welcoming sign for the Birth Place. The outside of the house was painted last year as part of an ongoing improvement effort. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
