[Ads-l] Saying: There will be prayers in our schools as long as there are final exams

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Wed Aug 15 08:09:26 UTC 2018


Barry Popik responded to my article by performing additional excellent
research and uncovering some earlier citations. Currently a column
dated May 6, 1964 by Ashley Cooper in the “The News and Courier” of
Charleston, South Carolina is the first citation.

[Begin excerpt]
The Supreme Court may try to ban prayers in school, but there’s no way
to ban the silent ones. Lord Ashley predicts that as long as there are
final examinations in school, there will be prayers.
[End excerpt]

By examining other columns by Cooper I've determined that "Lord
Ashley" is a comical self-reference. Thus, Ashley Cooper is the
leading candidate for originator at this time.

The updated article contains two additional citations and a further
acknowledgment for Barry Popik.
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/08/14/prayers/

Garson

On Tue, Aug 14, 2018 at 10:35 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> A professor writing an algebra book contacted me to explore the
> following quotation attributed to journalist Cokie Roberts.
>
> As long as algebra is taught in school, there will be prayer in school.
>
> There are many variants of this quip, and the QI website now has an
> entry on this topic with a first citation dated September 22, 1964.
> The event inspiring prayer was a final exam.(The subject was
> unspecified.)
>
> https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/08/14/prayers/
>
> Barry Popik has a pertinent webpage with citations beginning in 1983,
> and he is acknowledged and linked.
>
> https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/as_long_as_there_are_final_exams_there_will_be_prayer_in_schools/
>
> Additional earlier citations and germane information would be welcome.
> Garson O'Toole

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