She's Been Working on the Railroad - Hardcover

Levinson, Nancy Smiler

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525675450 ISBN 13: 9780525675457

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, 1997

Synopsis

Relates the story of women who have worked on the railroad in ever-increasing numbers and expanding range of jobs from the mid-1800s to the present

About this title

From Kirkus Reviews

When railroads came into use in America in the 1830s, they were ``owned, built, and run by men.'' In 1838, the first women became employed by the railroads in domestic service jobs. Levinson (Snowshoe Thompson, 1992, etc.) portrays how, through talent and perseverance, women have advanced to become welders, engineers, and executives on the railroads, despite resistance from men. Women were considered ``bargains'' because they were ``honest, productive, dependable, and accepted low pay.'' Readers will learn about Ella Campbell, a brass pounder (telegraph operator) in the 1870s who helped to head off a train collision; how Ida Hewitt, the first female locomotive engineer in the US, learned the job by riding along with her father; how, in 1901, Sarah Clark Kidder became president of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge to become the first woman to head a railroad company. The black-and-white archival and contemporary photographs add excitement to this remarkable, unusual history. (b&w photos, notes, glossary, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9. Histories of the North American railroad industry have traditionally focused on the accomplishments of men, but women have been involved in many levels of railroad work from the beginning. Using interviews and other primary sources, Levinson reconstructs the social and historical climate in which women worked. In the late 1800s, Fred Harvey's booming restaurant business created an opportunity for hundreds of "Harvey Girls" to travel and earn wages as cooks, waitresses, and hostesses. They were credited with "civiliz[ing] the Wild West." Levinson also introduces female researchers, architects, entrepreneurs, and engineers from decades past. They worked hard, enjoyed their jobs, and bravely faced resistance and harassment from their male co-workers. Black-and-white photos and sketches throughout complement the text. This book will enhance units on railroad history, westward expansion, or the homefront in World War II. It is a valuable supplement to traditional books on the subject.?Rebecca O'Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0525675450
• ISBN 13: 9780525675457
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96