Latter-day Saints and Science, Part 3

Originally published in Meridian Magazine, November 16-21, 2002
By Mark W. Cannon

About the Author:
Mark W. Cannon served as Administrative Assistant (deputy for planning, management and liaison) to the Chief Justice of the United States, Warren E. Burger, for 13 years. He also served as Staff Director of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution; Director, Institute of Public Administration, New York; Chairman, BYU Department of Political Science; Legislative Assistant to Senator Wallace Bennett; Administrative Assistant to Congressman Henry Aldous Dixon. He was a founding owner of Geneva Steel. He obtained his Ph.D. at Harvard University in Political Economy and Government.

Fruits of Mormonism: Mormon Scientists Maintain Their Faith in Christ and His Re-established Church

Mormons Find Science and Religion are Compatible

Do these scientific leaders find their science undermines their religious faith? Generally not. Most of them continued to be active Church members and many also held leadership positions in the Church. For example, Henry Eyring, who published over 500 scientific articles, was a long time member of the General Sunday School Board for the whole Church.

LDS scientists generally reconcile science with their religion. In 1956, Richard Wootton found that 74 percent of Mormon scientists born in Utah believed that Joseph Smith was inspired by God in the formation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (61 percent strong or very strong, 14 percent fair.)(30) The same researcher found that in 1992 the proportion of LDS scientists who had received baccalaureate degrees from universities in Utah who believed that Joseph Smith was inspired by God in the formation of the Church was 91 percent (85 percent strong or very strong, 6 percent fair).(31) Such a high proportion of faithful scientists seemed so improbable to some, that Wootton redid the study with a second sample - which confirmed the first sample.

Dr. Wootton redid the study using the 1998-99 edition of American Men and Women of Science with the same methodology. When asked if they believed that Joseph Smith was inspired by God in the formation of the Mormon Church, the proportion of believers was 94 percent (86 percent strong or very strong, 6 percent fair) - no decline, but even higher than in the previous studies.(32) Virtually the same percentage believed that "Jesus of Nazareth is a divine person of the Godhead." Of the Utah spawned LDS scientists, 88 percent are active in the Church - more by 6 percent than were active when they were 18-25 years of age.

The astounding character of the widespread faith of LDS scientists in the restored Church is shown by the contrast of a national study of scientists in American Men and Women of Science.(33) Only 40% believed in a God influenced by worship or in an afterlife with personal identity. This is less than half of the proportion of LDS scientists who find the claims of the restored Church credible and have faith.
On www.angelfire.com/az2/saintsci, you can obtain details of the Wootton studies. He is also willing to respond to questions by email. His address is rtw7555@cs.com.
In the 1992 survey, 92 percent of responding Utah spawned scientists, including non-LDS, believed the LDS Church promotes human welfare.(34)

The Wootton first study was based on birth in Utah. Since the data was not available by birth for the second study, it was based upon completion of undergraduate study at a university in Utah, Despite the ambiguity of a different method of identifying Utah spawned LDS scientists, it appears that there has been an increase in faith among LDS scientists from an already high earlier level. This seems partially attributable to the growth of scientific evidence of the validity of LDS scriptures done particularly by the Foundation for Research in Mormon Scriptures (FARMS). Many studies have also reinforced the fruitfulness of LDS beliefs and practices, such as the studies of non-Mormon UCLA professor James E. Enstrom that indicate that LDS high priests in California live 10 to 12 years longer, on average, than comparable non-Mormons.(35)

It may also be of interest to note that some non-Mormon scientists have become increasingly willing to bare their own religious faith.(36)

Not only do LDS scientists continue to be religiously active, but well-educated LDS generally are religiously active. Survey research indicated that 41 percent of Mormons with only elementary school education attend Church regularly. By contrast, 76 percent of LDS college graduates attend Church regularly and 78 percent of LDS who went beyond their college degrees to do graduate study attend Church regularly.(37)

The novelty of the LDS correlation between education and religious faith and activity was illustrated when Harvard Professor David Riesman visited BYU campus in the 1960's. He was intrigued to find that Mormons with Ph.D.s lined up to obtain faculty positions at BYU. He noted, by contrast, that it was common for people from other Churches to feel liberated from their religion when they obtained Ph.D.s, and not to be motivated to teach at religious institutions of higher education.
Scientists are Among Top LDS Church Leaders

Not only is there a remarkable record of many LDS becoming scientists while continuing to be religiously faithful, but leading scientists and engineers have been among the Church's leaders from its inception. The original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the early 1800s included Orson Pratt, a mathematician. When the Mormons first crossed the plains in 1847, Orson Pratt calculated the daily distances traveled as well as latitude, longitude and altitude.

Among subsequent Apostles were Dr. James E. Talmage, a geologist who studied at Lehigh and Johns Hopkins Universities; Joseph F. Merrill, who obtained his Ph.D. in Physics from Johns Hopkins, and John A. Widtsoe, a native of Norway who studied biochemistry at Harvard University and obtained his Ph.D. from Gottingen University in Germany, also in the 1800s. He served as President of Utah State Agricultural College and the University of Utah.

If we look at the Quorum of Twelve Apostles today, it may well be unique among leadership councils of churches for having scientists, engineers and prominent educators as a majority of its members. These Apostles include (alphabetically listed):

• Henry B. Eyring obtained his Ph.D. from Harvard, was a Sloan faculty fellow at MIT and taught nine years at Stanford University focusing on the management of scientists and technicians. He was also President of Ricks College and has served as Commissioner of Education for the LDS Church.
• Jeffrey Holland received his Ph.D. at Yale University, became Commissioner of Education for the Church and then was President of Brigham Young University. He served as President of the American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities.
• Neal A. Maxwell was Executive Vice President of the University of Utah, as well as Commissioner of Education for the Church.
• Russell M. Nelson. In addition to his medical degree from University of Utah, he obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota where he was a member of the team that produced the first successful artificial heart and lungs to keep a patient's body functioning during heart surgery. He became Chief of the Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery Division of the LDS Hospital and a diplomate of the American Board of Surgery. He is internationally recognized. For example, he was named Honorary Professor, Shandong Medical University, Jinan; Old People University, Jinan; and Xi-An Medical College.
• Dallin H. Oaks, a former law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren, became a professor, and Associate and Acting Dean, at the University of Chicago Law School, He was also Executive Director of the American Bar Association Foundation, and then became President of Brigham Young University. He was President of the American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities. He was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the national PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and has served as a Justice of the Utah Supreme Court.
• Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve, obtained a doctorate from BYU and taught at universities in the Church Institute.
• Richard G. Scott, a nuclear engineer, completed the equivalent of a Ph.D. at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was instrumental in the establishment of the first peacetime nuclear power plant, and was co-editor of two books related to the construction and use of nuclear power plants. For 12 years he worked with Hymen Rickover in developing nuclear powered systems.

The other Apostles also came from distinguished backgrounds in business, management and law.

Among the second tier of General Authorities of the contemporary Church are such scientists as Dr. James O. Mason, former Director of the National Center for Disease Control.

Concluding Comments
LDS diligence in seeking and embracing all knowledge and wisdom has been fruitful. As a result, committed LDS:
• have exemplary health and live ten to twelve years longer than their countrymen;
• produce wholesome youth who tend to avoid drugs, alcohol problems and venereal diseases, and who are often athletes—as examples, this year, 8 Olympic contenders, including aeriel silver medal winner Joe Pack, were LDS representing 6 countries, and in the 1998 NCAA tournament, nine members of the top four basketball teams were LDS.
• have a high educational level and scientific orientation;
• work effectively and have high ability to sustain themselves economically, have produced successful multi-national businesses, and made Utah a world center of new computer software (as identified by the Economist magazine and others);
• have improved the quality of personal and family life, peace of mind, and harmony with others in the many countries in which Church members live;
• and generate productive, service-oriented citizens, loyal to their own laws and governments—of whom any country can be pleased and proud.(38)

Notes
30. Richard T. Wootton, "Religious Orientations of Utah Scientists Related to Certain Problems of LDS Education," doctoral thesis, University of Utah, 1956, summarized in Wootton, Op. Cit., p.61.
31. Wootton, Op. Cit., p. 61.
32. Wootton, The Year 2000 Update of the Sixty Year Utah Scientists Study (published by author, 2000) and accompanying press release.
33. Edward J. Larson and Larry Whitham, "Scientists and Religion in America" Scientific American, September, 1999..
34. Wootton, Op. Cit., p. 60 and chart opposite p. 60.
35. James E. Enstrom, "Health Practices and Cancer Mortality Among Active California Mormons", Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 81 Issue 23, December 6, 1989, pp. 1807-14; "Cancer Mortality Among Mormons in California during 1968-75", Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 65, November 1980, pp. 1073-82; "Cancer and Total Mortality Among Active Mormons", Cancer: Journal of the American Cancer Society, October 1978, pp. 1943-51.
36. See, for example, Patrick Glynn, God The Evidence: The Reconciliation of Faith and Reason in a Postsecular World (Forum/Prima Publishing, 1997); John Marks Templeton, ed. How Large is God?: The Voices of Scientists and Theologians (Philadelphia & London: Templeton Foundation Press, 1997); John Marks Templeton, ed. Evidence of Purpose: Scientists Discover the Creator (New York: Continuum, 1994); Gerald L. Schroeder, The Science of God: The Convergence of Scientific and Biblical Wisdom (New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, Singapore: The Free Press, 1997); Arthur Peacocke, Theology for a Scientific Age: Being and Becoming--Natural, Divine and Human (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993); Herbert Benson, Timeless Healing: The Power and Biology of Belief (New York: Scribner, 1996); Candace Pert, Molecules of Emotion: Why You Feel the Way you Feel (New York: Scribner, 1997).
37. Stan L. Albrecht, "The Consequential Dimension of Mormon Religiosity", Brigham Young University, Feb. 15, 1989. Slide 35.
38. For bibliography, see Richard F. Haglund Jr. and Erich Robert Paul, "Resources for the Study of Science, Technology, and Mormon Culture", in Mormon Americana, David J. Whittaker, ed., (Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, 1995).

Latter-day Saints and Science, Part 2

Originally published in Meridian Magazine
By Mark W. Cannon

About the Author:
Mark W. Cannon served as Administrative Assistant (deputy for planning, management and liaison) to the Chief Justice of the United States, Warren E. Burger, for 13 years. He also served as Staff Director of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution; Director, Institute of Public Administration, New York; Chairman, BYU Department of Political Science; Legislative Assistant to Senator Wallace Bennett; Administrative Assistant to Congressman Henry Aldous Dixon. He was a founding owner of Geneva Steel. He obtained his Ph.D. at Harvard University in Political Economy and Government.

Fruits of Mormonism: Contributions of LDS Scientists Beneficial to Humanity

Some Contributions of LDS Scientists

Illustrative contributions of LDS scientific and engineering excellence include the application of quantum mechanics to chemical reaction rate theories by the President's National Science Medal winner, Henry Eyring. Eyring's findings had universal application to chemical changes in scientific laboratories and industries.
LDS contributions led to the sound and sight of the modern world. These include the scanning technique that spawned television by Philo Farnsworth at Brigham Young University, whose statue is in the U.S. Capitol. Also, the development of the modern science of acoustics by Harvey Fletcher, the head of physical research at Bell Laboratories, led to such inventions as stereophonic sound. Dr. Fletcher later became Dean of Engineering and Physical Sciences at BYU. Smith Stevens at Harvard led in the development of psychoacoustics, the theory of hearing.

Other contributions of Mormon scientists include the development of psychopharmacology, including drugs to suppress epilepsy, by Ewart Swinyard and a colleague; the early development of computer sciences to a fine art in medical diagnosis, particularly for heart ailments, by Homer Warner; coal research including development directed toward the transformation of coal for liquid automobile fuel, by George Hill, and outstanding new methods for the beneficiation of minerals by Milton Wadsworth.

Other examples are the application of high pressure to chemistry and physics, including the first repeatable synthesis of diamonds by Tracy Hall at General Electric that built the artificial diamond industry, following which he became a dean at BYU; fundamental work in catalysis and contributions to the production of high octane gasoline and synthetic ammonia by Alex Oblad; theoretical contributions to explosives and the development of slurry blasting agents which have replaced dynamite by Melvin Cook; contributions to synthetic textiles by Emerson Tippetts, and instrumental work in developing artificial kidneys by Wayne Quinton.(27)
James Fletcher was appointed twice to be Director of NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) by Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Scott Woodward was selected by the Egyptian government to study the DNA and lineage of Egyptian mummies. BYU Professor Alan Ashton created Word Perfect, a pioneer in word processing. BYU professors and students founded Novell. Four BYU music students invented LAN or Local Area Networking which spawned Novell becoming an international leader in networking software.

The National Academy of Science Committee on Toxicology, headed by Richard Thomas was praised by a Wall Street Journal editorial for avoiding ideology in environmental studies and for its "earned reputation for independence and quality research".(28) He is now President and CEO of The International Center for Environmental Technology.

E. Park Guyman developed a patented solvent extraction process that has the potential to convert American tar sands into billions of barrels of high grade asphalt and crude oil.

Anne Osborn Poelman is author of the definitive textbook in neuroradiology plus nine other textbooks. She lectures in China virtually every year. She chaired the neuroradiology course in Dalian co-sponsored by the Chinese Society of Radiology. She is one of only two radiologists who are honorary members of the Chinese Medical Association.

Some other medical accomplishments of University of Utah professors include Jim Parkin's pioneering of artificial ears through cochlear implants and John Dixon's pioneering of laser surgery. J. Edwin Seegmiller, professor of Human Genetics at University of California at San Diego, helped develop amniocentesis, to learn about the health of fetuses.

BYU microbiologist Kim L. O'Neill was granted a patent in 1997 and exclusive marketing rights for a monoclonal antibody that quickly, accurately and inexpensively detects cancer at early stages, by measuring Thymidine Kinase 1 (TK1). Through early detection, this breakthrough can minimize mortality particularly from breast cancer, currently second in cancer mortality among American women. He also published a study concluding that caffeine may prevent the death of cancer cells thereby permitting them to spread throughout the body.(29)
Paul D. Boyer, BYU alumnus and professor emeritus at UCLA, with two others, received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry October, 1997 for discovery of enzymes that fuel energy production within the cell. Professor Boyer spoke at BYU May 4, 1998.
Continue reading this article... Part 3: Mormons Find Science and Religion are Compatible

Notes
27. While essentially all of these scientists have Ph.D.s, the term doctor was not used for them.
28. The Wall Street Journal, "Review and Outlook: Gulf War Syndrome" October 29, 1993, p A14.
29. Bryan S. Poe, Kim L. O'Neill, "Caffeine modulates heat shock induced apoptosis in the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60", Cancer Letters, 121 (1997) 1-6.

Latter-day Saints and Science, Part 1

Originally published in Meridian Magazine, November 16, 2002
By Mark W. Cannon

About the Author:
Mark W. Cannon served as Administrative Assistant (deputy for planning, management and liaison) to the Chief Justice of the United States, Warren E. Burger, for 13 years. He also served as Staff Director of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution; Director, Institute of Public Administration, New York; Chairman, BYU Department of Political Science; Legislative Assistant to Senator Wallace Bennett; Administrative Assistant to Congressman Henry Aldous Dixon. He was a founding owner of Geneva Steel. He obtained his Ph.D. at Harvard University in Political Economy and Government.

Fruits of Mormonism: Extraordinary Production of Scientists

The Olympics showed Utah and Latter-day Saints to the world at their best, revealing that we are much more than many journalists and some of the public may have supposed.
Here's another myth-busting fact. For 80 years every study has shown that in relation to population Utah was number one in spawning scientists; that the scientists produced from Utah are much more LDS than the LDS proportion of the Utah population; and that two recent studies show that over 90 percent of the LDS scientists believe that "Joseph Smith, Jr. was inspired by God in the formation of the Mormon Church."
People only become scientists by proving their intellect, their rational pursuit of truth based upon demonstrable evidence, and their skepticism of that which is not readily credible. So the remarkable record of an overabundance of objective scientists who believe in and are faithful to and active in the Church must be astounding to people with frozen preconceptions. It appears that no other Church can demonstrate its overwhelming believability to scientists. This article provides you some stimulating facts that will help you in dealing with self-important scoffers.
Church Emphasizes Learning and Science
To understand the dynamic and positive impact of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) on people's lives, it is important to understand the LDS emphasis on learning in general and on science in particular. This is underscored by a few examples.
• LDS are repeatedly urged to "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith,"(3) and to "study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues and people."(4)
• The first Church President, Joseph Smith, made it clear that "One of the grand fundamental principles of 'Mormonism' is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may."(5) He emphasized: "We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true 'Mormons'."(6)
• The second President, Brigham Young, admonished: "Let [the members] be educated in every useful branch of learning..."(7) He wrote: "How gladly would we understand every principle pertaining to science and art, and become thoroughly acquainted with every intricate operation of nature and with all the chemical changes that are constantly going on around us!"(8) He emphasized that: "'Mormonism' embraces all truth" including "scientific".(9) He asserted: "Our religion will not clash with or contradict the facts of science in any particular."(10)
LDS strong emphasis on learning and science has led to a remarkable record.
For example, in 1850, only three years after the first Mormons trudged some 1300 miles to the desolate Salt Lake Valley, they created the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah)—the first co-educational university (admitting women and men) west of the Mississippi River.(11) Utah, which has always been predominantly Mormon, has always been at or near the top in the average number of years of education attained by its citizens. For example, it was reported in 1984 that Utah was highest of the 50 states in the "median number of school years completed by adult population", with 12.8 years. Utah was also first in "percentage of adult population with high school diploma".(12) Despite an influx of immigrants into Utah, it continues to be high. In October, 1995, with 90.2 percent of adults age 25 and over having high school diplomas, Utah was fourth highest of the fifty states.(13)
In 1994, Utah was the top state in both Advance Placement Exams taken, and those passed for college credit, in relation to the number of high school students—and Utah is consistently at or near the top.(14) A recent study showed that in 1996, Utah tied North Carolina for the highest percentage of high school students who took upper level mathematics classes.(15) The duties of citizenship are taken seriously. For example, a study of presidential elections from World War II through 1988 revealed that Utah had the highest average turn-out of voters of any state.(16)
Production of Mormon Scientists
More specifically, in the production of scientists, LDS have been extraordinarily fruitful.
• Since science promotes objective rational thinking and progress, E.L. Thorndike, of Columbia University researched the the states of birth of scientists listed in the 1938 edition of American Men of Science for the Carnegie Foundation. He found that Utah (which was majority LDS) was the highest producer of scientists as a percentage of the population of a state. Utah was 45 percent higher than the second highest state, Colorado, which also had LDS citizens.(17)
Click above to see larger graph.
Dr. Thorndike later studied the origins of outstanding men using Who's Who, Leaders in Education and American Men of Science. Utah again was the most productive state, far ahead of Massachusetts, the second ranking state. This study was published in The Scientific Monthly(18) in 1943. Thus many of these high achievers were born in the 1800s, during which time, Utah was struggling to make the arid desert blossom as a rose. Despite privation, the teachings of the Church caused people to sacrifice and strive to obtain excellent educations and to contribute to the larger society.
• A study by H. E. Zabel of American Men of Science - 1944 found that Utah was again first as the birthplace of 1065 scientists per million. The second state was Colorado with 657 per million.(19)
• The number of scientists in the 1949 edition of American Men of Science had nearly doubled since Thorndike's original study of the 1938 edition. A University of Utah doctoral dissertation by Richard T. Wootton showed Utah as the most productive of scientists, followed by Idaho, the state with the second highest LDS population.(20)
• The number of scientists in the 1962 edition of American Men of Science almost doubled again. Despite almost quadruple the scientists in the original Thorndike study, Utah still had a commanding lead for first in the number of scientists born in the state per million population, followed by Idaho which had a large LDS population.(21)
• Using a different approach, the University of Chicago Press published a study of the institutions from which scientists in the 1921 and 1944 editions of American Men of Science had obtained their undergraduate degrees. In relation to their number of graduates, Mormon-owned Brigham Young University (BYU) and Utah State and University of Utah produced future scientists at an average rate of 150 percent of the rates of MIT and Harvard, 200 percent of Stanford, 300 percent of Duke, 1,280 percent of University of Southern California, and 4,700% of Georgetown University.(22)

• Science in 1974 published a study of those who had obtained Ph.D.s from 1920 to 1961 and the institutions from which they had obtained their baccalaureate degrees. The productivity of each state in producing future scholars was calculated. Utah ranked first of all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. in overall production of scholars. Significantly, it ranked 30 percent higher than the second highest state, Iowa. In sub-categories, Utah ranked first in producing future Ph.D.s in biological sciences, third in physical sciences, first in social sciences, second in education, and sixth in the arts and professions.(23)

Click above to see larger graph.
• The author, BYU Professor Kenneth R. Hardy, did a follow-up study of undergraduate origins of Ph.D. recipients from 1962 to 1981 and found that BYU continued to be extraordinarily productive of natural and social scientists and the Utah universities continued to rank first in producing men (but not first in women) who went on to obtain Ph.D.s.(24)
• Richard Wootton, former President of the BYU Hawaii campus and professor emeritus of Arizona State University did a more recent study of the locations of the undergraduate degrees of American Men and Women of Science: 17th edition, 1990. Utah was again the top state in production of scientists and was substantially higher—21 percent—than the second highest state, Delaware.(25)

Click above to see larger graph.
• The results of the studies up to and including 1992 were so remarkable that I asked Dr. Wootton if he would be willing to redo his 1992 study in the year 2000 to see if his findings held up in the fast changing contemporary world. He proceeded to study the States that awarded undergraduate degrees to scientists listed in the 1998-99 Edition of American Men and Women of Science. Utah again was number one. However, its lead over second state, Delaware, undoubtedly influenced by the increasing number of children of Du Pont scientists who also became scientists, was narrowed.
Although other states' rankings changed, Utah has consistently been the highest state, and generally much higher than the second highest state, in producing achievers listed from 1920 to 1999. Also, Idaho, with the second highest percentage of Mormons, consistently ranked high in ratio of scientists who were born in Idaho to population.
To test the impact of the LDS Church, Wootton studied the proportion of LDS and non-LDS scientists from Utah in his studies of scientists. He found that LDS scientists were a substantially higher share of Utah produced scientists than the LDS percentage of the general population in Utah.(26) For example, Wootton reported that the LDS proportion of Utah's population in 1906 was 55 percent. Whereas the proportion of Utah-born scientists who were LDS in Wootton's study of American Men of Science in 1949 was 76 percent - almost 40 percent higher than the LDS share of the population near the median birth year of the scientists.

Continue reading this article... Part 2: Some Contributions of LDS Scientists
Notes
1. Mark W. Cannon served as Administrative Assistant (deputy for planning, management and liaison) to the Chief Justice of the United States, Warren E. Burger, for 13 years. He also served as Staff Director of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution; Director, Institute of Public Administration, New York; Chairman, BYU Department of Political Science; Legislative Assistant to Senator Wallace Bennett; Administrative Assistant to Congressman Henry Aldous Dixon. He was a founding owner of Geneva Steel. He obtained his Ph.D. at Harvard University in Political Economy and Government.
2. Thanks are expressed to the many LDS scientists who mastered disciplines and made contributions that made this study possible. Thanks also to Richard Wootton who, in the 1950's, devoted vast time to studying the beliefs of Utah-born Mormon scientists and, in the 1990's, of a new wave of Utah educated Mormon scientists. Thanks also to James V. Tredway for assistance in preparing this paper.
3. Doctrine and Covenants, 88: 118; also 107:14.
4. Ibid., 90:15.
5. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 313.
6. Ibid., 316.
7. Journal of Discourses, 12:122.
8. Ibid., 9:167.
9. Ibid., 9:149.
10. Ibid., 14: 116, May 14, 1971.
11. The early emphasis on education of women may have contributed to a number of firsts for LDS women including (1) Wyoming and Utah were the first U.S. Territories or States to grant women suffrage, with women actually voting first in the United States in Utah in 1870; (2) The first woman elected to a State Senate in the United States was Dr. Mattie Hughes Cannon in 1896; (3) The first all-female town council in the United States was Kanab, Utah in 1912; (4) The first woman elected to a term in the United States Senate who was neither the wife nor the daughter of a politician was Paula Hawkins of Florida in 1980.
12. Deseret News: Church News, June 10, 1984, p. 3.
13. Interview with Pattie Bowles, Utah Board of Education, May 6, 1998.
14. "Utah and National Advanced Placement Performance, 1994", prepared by Utah State Office of Education.
15. Education Week: Quality Counts '98, January 8, 1998, p.79.
16. Mark W. Cannon, "Civic Duties", Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Daniel H. Ludlow, Ed., (Macmillan, 1992), Vol. 6, p.285.
17. E.L. Thorndike, "The Production, Retention and Attraction of American Men of Science", Science, 92 (August 16, 1940): 137-41. See also E.L. Thorndike, Science News Letter, August 31, 1940. In order to compare populations among the states that were comparable, these studies were of the white populations of each state.
18. E.L. Thorndike, "The Origin of Superior Men", The Scientific Monthly, 56 (May, 1943): 424-33.
19. H.E. Zabel, "Iowa's contribution to American Men of Science, Seventh Edition", cited in Richard T. Wootton, Saints and Scientists, (Mesa, Arizona: EduTech, 1992), opposite p. 25.
20. Richard T. Wootton, Op. Cit., pp. 24-5.
21. H.E. Zabel, "Statistical Abstract of American Men of Science, Tenth Edition", cited in Wootton, Op. Cit., p. 25.
22. R.J. Knapp and J.B. Goodrich, Origins of American Scientists (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1952), pp. 12, 325-27.
23. Kenneth R. Hardy, "Social Origins of American Scientists and Scholars," Science 185 (Aug. 9, 1974): 497-506.
24. Unpublished study by Kenneth R. Hardy. Interview, May 4 and 5th, 1998.
25. Wootton, Op. Cit., table opposite p. 58.
26. Wootton, Op. Cit., p. 27 ff.

Reprinted with the permission of the author.