Kearny County Historical Society will host “The Harvey Girls,” a presentation and discussion by Michaeline Chance-Reay on Saturday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Building in Lakin, Ks. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Reservations are required by 4 p.m. on April 3 and may be made by calling the Kearny County Museum at 355-7448.
Dr. Chance-Reay’s presentation is made possible by the Kansas Humanities Council and is in conjunction with the KCHS’s 59th Annual Meeting. In addition to the program, other items on the evening’s agenda include a meal, short business meeting and election of board members. The event is open to the public, but only members of the Kearny County Historical Society may vote.
The Harvey House chain of restaurants got its start in Topeka when Fred Harvey opened a lunchroom for passengers on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad line. Preferring the term “Harvey Girl” to waitress, Harvey recruited single women to work at his restaurants which gradually sprang up all the way to California and Texas.
Michaeline Chance-Reay teaches courses in Women’s Studies and Education at Kansas State University. Her current research focuses on the Harvey Girls and the historic sites on the K-State campus, especially those related to women. “Women in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who wanted jobs or careers outside of the home had few choices,” said Chance-Reay, “but the Harvey Company offered unique opportunities. It was demanding work but also offered a decent salary in a protected environment, in addition to travel and adventure.” She will explore the job duties and working conditions of Harvey Girls in her presentation.
“The Harvey Girls” is part of the Kansas Humanities Council’s Kansas Stories Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and discussions that examine our shared human experience – our innovations, culture, heritage and conflicts. The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For more information about the Humanities Council, visit them online at www.kansashumanities.org.
And remember to get those annual meeting reservations in by April 3!
