In 1878, Fred Harvey began building restaurants along the Santa Fe railway. After a fight broke out among male staff, he fired them and hired young women to take their place. These waitress jobs were a small step toward women’s independence.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
Devices That Know How We Really Feel
Can you imagine a video game that can tell if you are happy or frustrated? Computers, smartphones, even cars may someday be able to identify our emotions and adjust accordingly.
Philippe Petit
Meet Philippe Petit, a man who said, “To me, it’s so simple that life should be lived on the edge of life.” Read his biography to learn about the risks this man is renowned for taking.
Without Edgar Allan Poe, We Wouldn’t Have Sherlock Holmes
This article points out that Edgar Allan Poe should be credited with creating the character upon which Sherlock Holmes was based.
Best children’s books with wishes
Some of the stories you loved best when you were younger probably concerned wishes. Why are wish tales so popular?
How improv comedy helped a teen with autism
Teens on the autism spectrum may have trouble interacting with others. The challenge of performing improv comedy can help.
Wonder Woman and the Importance of the Female Hero Moment
What makes a summer blockbuster movie something more than mere entertainment? Read one writer’s opinion.
Emily Dickinson’s Letters
Dickinson’s mentor Thomas Wentworth Higginson shares his impressions of her along with several of her letters to him.
Fair is foul and foul is fair: Macbeth in Tunisia
How did a 400-year-old English drama apply to the Arab Spring?
Meet the female entrepreneurs using tech for good
Combining video games with a charitable cause is something that Jude Ower is very proud of. Developing Playmob was an opportunity for Jude to utilize her technology expertise to help those in need across the world, from children to pandas!
How music benefits children
While scientific evidence linking music education to intelligence is mixed, psychologist Dawn Rose points to studies that indicate other successful human development.
Dispatches from the Jungle: The Writers Who Reformed America
Learn about five muckracking journalists who affected social change around the turn of the twentieth century.
After 41 years, Louisville’s youth theater stages all 38 plays by Shakespeare
The Commonwealth Theatre Center recently finished producing all of Shakespeare’s plays over the course of four decades. Read about the benefits of working on a Shakespeare production as a child or teenager.
About the Author: Kao Kalia Yang
What are the hopes and fears someone has when she writes a book about her culture and family? In this interview, the author of The Latehomecomer discusses this question and more.
On the Bard’s birthday, is Shakespeare still relevant?
How can Shakespeare still be relevant in the age of the smartphone? Alexandra Petri takes a light-hearted view in this opinion piece.
Syrians Speak Out Through Their Art
Civil war has torn the country of Syria apart for years. As the government and opposition forces fight, many civilians have been caught in the middle. Some artists are using their work to tell the world about the experiences of ordinary Syrians in this conflict.
Juneteenth: A New Birth of Freedom
Have you ever heard of Juneteenth? On June 19, 1865, almost two and a half years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, word finally reached Texas that the Civil War was over and that any slaves were free. Learn more about this celebration of freedom.
A Legacy of Horror Films
In this online exhibition, the Academy of Motion Pictures celebrates the genre of horror films. Explore interviews with famous directors and images from classic horror films.
Letters Of Heartbreak Find Some Love In Verona, Italy
For years, heartbroken people have been sending letters to the city of Verona addressed to Juliet. In the 1990s, the city of Verona created the Juliet Club to deal with all the letters. Read the article, and then listen to the full story.
‘In stressed times, we can take comfort in wildlife’: why nature-writing is ‘exploding’
Journalist Alison Flood investigates the increase of nature writing and reading in times of transition.