Ellery Schempp
Encyclopedia
Ellery Schempp is an accomplished physicist
and is also famous for being the primary student involved in the landmark 1963 United States Supreme Court case of Abington School District v. Schempp
which declared that required public-school-sanctioned Bible
readings were unconstitutional.
, but grew up in the Roslyn community of Abington Township
. He graduated from Abington High School
in 1958, and attended Tufts University
where he earned bachelor degrees in physics
and geology
. In 1967, Ellery received his Ph.D.
in physics from Brown University
.
In 1980 Ellery officially changed his name from "Ellory" to "Ellery" citing constant confusions with the name "Elroy" and the historical precedence of the spelling "Ellery".
Ellery Schempp currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts. , he teaches a class on the separation of church and state at Tufts' Experimental College.
Stephen D. Solomon, professor at New York University
, has written a book about Ellery and the Supreme Court case that he was involved in entitled Ellery’s Protest: How One Young Man Defied Tradition and Sparked the Battle over School Prayer (University of Michigan Press, 2007 ISBN 978-0472108374).
each day during homeroom. Instead, Ellery brought a copy of the Qur'an
and read from that. For this, he was sent to the Principal's office. With the help of his father, Edward Schempp, and the American Civil Liberties Union
, they sued the Abington School district over their policy of mandatory Bible readings.
Over several years, Ellery, his father, and later his younger siblings Roger and Donna continued to fight this policy in the courts. The Schempps were Unitarian Universalists, a theologically liberal religious community. The case was eventually decided in Ellery's favor by the Supreme Court in 1963, five years after he had graduated from high school.
Ellery continues to be a dedicated Unitarian Universalist and a strong supporter of the ACLU and of the separation of church and state
. He is a popular speaker at Unitarian Universalist and Secular Humanist
meetings, where he speaks about his landmark protest as well as the current state of democracy
, the constitution
, and the bill of rights
.
Ellery is a member of the American Humanist Association
and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. In 1996, he received the Religious Liberty Award from Americans United. He is on the Advisory Board of the Secular Student Alliance
and the Secular Coalition for America
.
in Nitrogen
Heterocycles. This work was the precursor to the development of magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) which he continued to work on for a substantial portion of his career.
Dr. Schempp has held the following positions:
In 1977, Dr. Schempp was part of the Pittsburgh Explorer’s Group Nanga Parbat Expedition which was to be the first American group to reach the peak of Nanga Parbat
in Pakistan
.
In 2002, Dr. Schempp was elected to Abington Senior High School's hall of fame
for his accomplishments in physics. His involvement in the court case was not mentioned in his acceptance speech except that he opened with the line, "I never thought they'd invite me back here."
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and is also famous for being the primary student involved in the landmark 1963 United States Supreme Court case of Abington School District v. Schempp
Abington School District v. Schempp
Abington Township School District v. Schempp , 374 U.S. 203 , was a United States Supreme Court case argued on February 27–28, 1963 and decided on June 17, 1963...
which declared that required public-school-sanctioned Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
readings were unconstitutional.
Biography
Ellery was born in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, but grew up in the Roslyn community of Abington Township
Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 55,310 in as of the 2010 census.Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's...
. He graduated from Abington High School
Abington Senior High School
Abington Senior High School is a three-year co-educational high school in Abington, Pennsylvania. The school was a two-year high school known as Abington South Campus until June 1983. In September 1984, Abington South Campus became a three-year high school and eventually changed its name to...
in 1958, and attended Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
where he earned bachelor degrees in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. In 1967, Ellery received his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in physics from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
.
In 1980 Ellery officially changed his name from "Ellory" to "Ellery" citing constant confusions with the name "Elroy" and the historical precedence of the spelling "Ellery".
Ellery Schempp currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts. , he teaches a class on the separation of church and state at Tufts' Experimental College.
Stephen D. Solomon, professor at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, has written a book about Ellery and the Supreme Court case that he was involved in entitled Ellery’s Protest: How One Young Man Defied Tradition and Sparked the Battle over School Prayer (University of Michigan Press, 2007 ISBN 978-0472108374).
Activism
On November 26, 1956, Ellery staged a protest against the school requirement that each student read 10 Bible passages and the Lord's PrayerLord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
each day during homeroom. Instead, Ellery brought a copy of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
and read from that. For this, he was sent to the Principal's office. With the help of his father, Edward Schempp, and the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, they sued the Abington School district over their policy of mandatory Bible readings.
Over several years, Ellery, his father, and later his younger siblings Roger and Donna continued to fight this policy in the courts. The Schempps were Unitarian Universalists, a theologically liberal religious community. The case was eventually decided in Ellery's favor by the Supreme Court in 1963, five years after he had graduated from high school.
Ellery continues to be a dedicated Unitarian Universalist and a strong supporter of the ACLU and of the separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
. He is a popular speaker at Unitarian Universalist and Secular Humanist
Secular humanism
Secular Humanism, alternatively known as Humanism , is a secular philosophy that embraces human reason, ethics, justice, and the search for human fulfillment...
meetings, where he speaks about his landmark protest as well as the current state of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, the constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, and the bill of rights
Bill of rights
A bill of rights is a list of the most important rights of the citizens of a country. The purpose of these bills is to protect those rights against infringement. The term "bill of rights" originates from England, where it referred to the Bill of Rights 1689. Bills of rights may be entrenched or...
.
Ellery is a member of the American Humanist Association
American Humanist Association
The American Humanist Association is an educational organization in the United States that advances Humanism. "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that...
and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. In 1996, he received the Religious Liberty Award from Americans United. He is on the Advisory Board of the Secular Student Alliance
Secular Student Alliance
The Secular Student Alliance , founded in May 2000, is an independent, democratically structured organization in the U.S. that aims to serve the needs of freethinking high school and college students. The Secular Student Alliance is based in Columbus, Ohio...
and the Secular Coalition for America
Secular Coalition for America
The Secular Coalition for America is an advocacy group located in Washington D.C., representing atheists, humanists, freethinkers, agnostics, and other non-theistic people with a naturalistic worldview in American politics. Sean Faircloth, a five-term Maine state legislator, served as Executive...
.
Physics
Dr. Schempp's doctoral thesis was entitled Nuclear Quadrupole ResonanceResonance
In physics, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate at a greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. These are known as the system's resonant frequencies...
in Nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
Heterocycles. This work was the precursor to the development of magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
(MRI) which he continued to work on for a substantial portion of his career.
Dr. Schempp has held the following positions:
- 1967 - 1968: Brown UniversityBrown UniversityBrown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, Post-Doctoral FellowPostdoctoral researcherPostdoctoral research is scholarly research conducted by a person who has recently completed doctoral studies, normally within the previous five years. It is intended to further deepen expertise in a specialist subject, including acquiring novel skills and methods... - 1969 - 1970: Bell Telephone LaboratoriesBell LabsBell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
, Technical Staff - 1970 - 1976: University of PittsburghUniversity of PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, ProfessorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of CrystallographyCrystallographyCrystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
and Research Assistant Professor in Physics - 1977 - 1979: Université de Genève, Invited Professor
- 1980 - 1983: Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryThe Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory conducting unclassified scientific research. It is located on the grounds of the University of California, Berkeley, in the Berkeley Hills above the central campus...
. Worked on projects related to nuclear waste disposal. - 1984 - 1990: GE Medical SystemsGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
. Worked on development of MRI. - 1990 - 1996: American Superconductor Corporation, Manager of Business Development
- 1996 - ????: Industrial Research Laboratory of New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Consultant - ???? - Present: Harvard Consulting Group, Senior Partner
In 1977, Dr. Schempp was part of the Pittsburgh Explorer’s Group Nanga Parbat Expedition which was to be the first American group to reach the peak of Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
In 2002, Dr. Schempp was elected to Abington Senior High School's hall of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
for his accomplishments in physics. His involvement in the court case was not mentioned in his acceptance speech except that he opened with the line, "I never thought they'd invite me back here."
External links
- OYEZ.Org: Abington School District v. Schempp
- Abington School District
- "The Democratic Way", A Sermon by Ellery Schempp source for much of this Biographic information
- Schempp's parody of creationist arguments, "Warning: Gravity Is 'Only a Theory,'" on a Christian apologetics website
- "A Victory for the Heretics" Article in UU World describing the events leading up to the case.
- "Ellery's Protest" by Stephen D. Solomon