Happy Humanists,

A reminder that February’s meeting is pushed to Monday March 7th. Our speaker will be from the Elizabeth Fry Society, and we are announceing our blood drive.

This month: Elizabeth Fry Society

On Monday, March 7th we will be meeting at the Barrie Public Library for a presentation by Paula King the Executive Directory of the Elizabeth Fry Society in Barrie, where she will discuss their work and some of the innovative approaches they take to justice, assistance for those in need. Doors open at 6:30, and the presentation starts promptly at 7 PM.

As is our tradition, we will be meeting for dinner and discussion at 5 PM at Swiss Chalet on Bayfield St. Anyone is welcome to come. If you have any questions about our pre-meeting dinner, please email me and ask.

Blood Drive

We are putting together a blood drive. We will descend en mass to the blood clinic on Bayview Dr. Please respond if you would be interested in donating blood.

President’s Message

Darwin Day was on February the 12th. This day is used by science proponents to discuss how fundamentally important education in the sciences is and as a reason to teach science. I suspect that this day and this name would not have been selected if people didn’t actively speak out against evolution and natural selection emphasizing the need for science education.

In Humanist communities there is a great deal of positive emotion when talking about Darwin and evolution. But we must not forget all the other aspect of science that are important, as well. Darwin has become a symbol of the flame of knowledge. Mostly because people keep trying to snuff out his contributions to science. But let us not forget all the other people who have and do contribute to our understanding of how the universe works. Darwin Day is in large part a celebration of Darwin’s contribution. But it’s also about the benefits of science in general.

Ponderāre

Speaking of education I happened on this quote which made me think:

There is only one Education, and it has only one goal: the freedom of the mind. Anything that needs an adjective, be it civics education, or socialist education, or Christian education, or whatever-you-like education, is not education, and it has some different goal. The very existence of modified “educations” is testimony to the fact that their proponents cannot bring about what they want in a mind that is free. An “education” that cannot do its work in a free mind, and so must “teach” by homily and precept in the service of these feelings and attitudes and beliefs rather than those, is pure and unmistakable tyranny.

~ Richard Mitchell, The Underground Grammarian, September 1982

(Do you have a quote we can use in a future newsletter? Submit your quotes online.)

Calendar

Monday, Mar 7 – COHA Presentation (delayed from February)
Wednesday, Mar 30 – COHA Presentation

-Shawn