Harvey Girl"The nonfiction aspects of the subject and the era are subtly interwoven into Clara's own adventure; readers may not realize they're getting a history lesson as well as an exciting tale. . . . Readers will follow with much interest Clara's experience as a young country girl out on her own, trying to learn the many details and rules of her new job. . . . Although this fast-paced novel is well suited for its intended age group, adults will enjoy it as well. Foard supplements the story with a section on the real Harvey Girls history. In Kansas City, a Mrs. Steel hires the protagonist, saying: 'I like your spunk, Clara.' Readers will agree."--Foreword Magazine "The 21st century ceases to exist once the reader opens the pages of this young adult novel. The author deftly recreates life on a poor farm, the trepidation of your first interview, and the excitement of starting your first job. Clara matures and grows, although at times her old self intrudes, just as in real life. . . . Seamlessly interweaves history with fiction. Photographs depicting Harvey Houses and their staff, and information about the real Harvey Girls, are icing on the cake."--Historical Novels Review Wanted: Young women, 18 to 30 years of age, of good moral character, attractive and intelligent, as waitresses in the Harvey Eating Houses on the Santa Fe Railroad in the West. Good wages with room and meals furnished. Liberal tips customary. Experience not necessary. Harvey Girls served gourmet meals to passengers of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. During the late 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, Harvey Houses were a familiar sight to train travelers in the American West. There were one hundred Harvey Houses and about a hundred thousand Harvey Girls over the years. In a time when there were limited career choices for women, becoming a Harvey Girl offered rare independence for young ladies. In 1919 one such Harvey Girl is feisty Clara Fern Massie, an Ozark farm girl who runs away from home on her fourteenth birthday after standing up to her harsh father. Heading west and taking a job as a waitress--a Harvey Girl--the underage Clara struggles to learn the demanding "Harvey Way" and shed her farm-girl image to become a confident, independent woman. |
Contents
Gettin Above Your Raisin | 3 |
Treed Like a Critter | 10 |
No Place Else to Run | 15 |
A Ticket to Travel | 22 |
Out of the Ozarks | 28 |
No More Blinky Milk | 35 |
Looking Eighteen | 41 |
Pretty Waiter Girls | 48 |
Under Suspicion | 89 |
Catching a Sneak Thief | 97 |
The Well Country | 105 |
Caught in a Lie | 111 |
A Prodigal Daughter? | 118 |
At Rails End | 126 |
Trails to Tomorrow | 133 |
About the Real Harvey Girls | 139 |
No Experience Necessary | 54 |
Go West Young Woman | 60 |
Green as the Hills | 66 |
OntheJob Training | 73 |
Butter Knives and Carrots Vichy | 78 |
A Fork in the Road | 82 |
Be a Waitress See the West | 141 |
A Note from Sheila Wood Foard | 143 |
Historical Photographs | 147 |
About the Author | |
Common terms and phrases
Albuquerque Alice Alvarado asked Belen Beulah Bloody Bones Bobby Earl busboys Carrie Chapman Catt CasteƱada coffee cousin customers Dad's depot dining room dirty fork door dress Duey Estevan eyes feet floor fork Fred Harvey Fred Harvey Company Grand Canyon Granny hite's Granny's grinned hair hand Harvey Girl Harvey House Harvey rules Hazel head heard hired Hopi House Horny Toad Kansas City Kansas City Union kitchen knew laughed looked lunch counter manager Mary Pickford meals Mexico milk Miss Forester Miss Steel Missoura Momma movie star Nellie Nellie's night Opal Opal's opened Ozark passengers Phillips Photo pinafore plate pulled railroad Randy Santa Fe seat served shoes silverware Slaton smile stairs stood stopped suffragists sugar bowl talk tall tell things thought tips told took Tovar train tray uniform Vi's voice wait walked wanted West