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Elsie: Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher 1913-1916
IN 1912, the first year of Arizona's statehood, rural Verde Valley was home to enterprising ranchers and farmers who raised cattle, crops and children. These children needed a school. So just as they mail-ordered supplies from the Sears catalog, the community mail-ordered a teacher. ELSIE HAYES, a college graduate, came from a world of concerts and literary clubs. The teacher's tiny shack in Cornville was a far cry from her family's lovely home in Long Beach, California. This cultured young woman drank water from an irrigation ditch, bathed in Oak Creek, and taught in a one-room schoolhouse to children first considered "common," but with whom she soon developed a mutual love. Though she had come to Arizona feeling a bit superior to these "backwoods" folks, her emotions transformed into admiration and respect, and the untamed wilderness became "breathtaking and glorious." IN THIS TRUE STORY, Elsie's 100-year-old journals, photographs and detailed letters home paint a picture of a time and place that has since faded, and give insight into the early history of Cornville and Williams, Arizona. Even more than this, they are a vivid portrayal of colorful adventure, tragedy, and a heartbreaking story of lost love."
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
October 3, 2012
I am sure this book, which consists primarily of letters and short diary entries with some supplementary material, would be an excellent resource for a researcher or a writer working on a novel set in this time period. But as a reader, I must admit I found some of it rather dry and lacking in substance and emotion.
I had expected something more like a biography or a story. The diary entries were generally short and often abbreviated. Elsie's diary was not the confessional sort we'd expect today but mostly simple notes of the days events.
I wish that the compiler of this volume had instead allowed herself to be a writer and had used this wealth of information as the inspiration for a novel based on the true story. A book that would have allowed us to see Elsie as others saw her and to picture more of her experiences. I would have loved more of a glimpse into the real lives and feelings instead of the more superficial look at what Elsie considered appropriate to tell her family and even to acknowledge in writing in her diary. Where are the stories Elsie told? Where is the storyteller herself?
I guess what I wanted and what I hoped for just doesn't match up with what this book is. And it wouldn't be fair to punish the book for my expectations. The book is a valuable historical resource, but not a story. Should the story ever be told in a way that would allow it to come to life for a modern reader, and in a way that filled in (with educated guesses and information from stories told by Elsie and others) the holes left in this resource, I would love to read it.
I had expected something more like a biography or a story. The diary entries were generally short and often abbreviated. Elsie's diary was not the confessional sort we'd expect today but mostly simple notes of the days events.
I wish that the compiler of this volume had instead allowed herself to be a writer and had used this wealth of information as the inspiration for a novel based on the true story. A book that would have allowed us to see Elsie as others saw her and to picture more of her experiences. I would have loved more of a glimpse into the real lives and feelings instead of the more superficial look at what Elsie considered appropriate to tell her family and even to acknowledge in writing in her diary. Where are the stories Elsie told? Where is the storyteller herself?
I guess what I wanted and what I hoped for just doesn't match up with what this book is. And it wouldn't be fair to punish the book for my expectations. The book is a valuable historical resource, but not a story. Should the story ever be told in a way that would allow it to come to life for a modern reader, and in a way that filled in (with educated guesses and information from stories told by Elsie and others) the holes left in this resource, I would love to read it.
December 10, 2011
There’s something about the contrast of a cultured young woman displaced in a rough frontier setting and successfully forging a new life for herself that stirs my imagination.
Think Ma Ingalls making a home for her girls in the Little House> books; Abbie setting a joyful example for her family with a Lantern in Her Hand; or Katherine Mary following her Canadian mounty through the pages of Mrs. Mike.
Then add Elsie Hayes, from Barbara Anne Waite’s Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher, 1913-1916. This charming book shares a portion of the life story of Barbara’s grandmother through her grandmother’s letters and diary entries, plus additional narrative from interviews, recollections by Elsie’s former students, and newspaper accounts.
Elsie hailed from a privileged family in Long Beach, California, (where she was friends with a young Thornton Wilder) and graduated from Pamona College. But after graduation, while other girls her age were looking for husbands at plays and weekend house parties, Elsie was off in wild and wooly Arizona teaching school in a one-room schoolhouse. The experiences and descriptions she shares are guaranteed to take you on a delightful trip back in time. For example, here are the 1913 rules for schoolteachers such as Elsie:
Teachers are not to keep company with men.
Women may not dye their hair.
Two petticoats must be worn.
Teachers may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.
Dresses must be no more than two inches above the ankle.
Teachers are not to dress in bright colors.
And this is how Elsie described the frontier mining town of Jerome, which struck such fear in her heart upon her arrival: “I never imagined such a town. It looks like New York slums turned loose on a hillside and like Spain and Italy and almost like Chinatown combined. The mountainside is bare and bleak and the houses are . . . mysterious looking. One goes into a house from a dirty sidewalk and muddy street . . . The dirty saloons are surrounded by groups of foreigners who stare.”
Fortunately, Jerome was not her final destination. Elsie’s Oak Creek Schoolhouse—though itself a bit of an eyesore—was in the lovely Verde Valley, surrounded by thick groves of trees at the foot of the breathtaking Black Hills. Once settled there, Elsie thrilled to the beauty of her surroundings and the challenges of teaching her young pupils. Her words, though penned a hundred years ago, shine with a youthful enthusiasm and spirit of innocence.
I enjoyed experiencing Elsie’s adventures with her—her train rides, first days in the classroom, life among the country folks, and poignant experiences with love and romance. Her story touched my heart and kept me turning pages.
Then add Elsie Hayes, from Barbara Anne Waite’s Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher, 1913-1916. This charming book shares a portion of the life story of Barbara’s grandmother through her grandmother’s letters and diary entries, plus additional narrative from interviews, recollections by Elsie’s former students, and newspaper accounts.
Elsie hailed from a privileged family in Long Beach, California, (where she was friends with a young Thornton Wilder) and graduated from Pamona College. But after graduation, while other girls her age were looking for husbands at plays and weekend house parties, Elsie was off in wild and wooly Arizona teaching school in a one-room schoolhouse. The experiences and descriptions she shares are guaranteed to take you on a delightful trip back in time. For example, here are the 1913 rules for schoolteachers such as Elsie:
Teachers are not to keep company with men.
Women may not dye their hair.
Two petticoats must be worn.
Teachers may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.
Dresses must be no more than two inches above the ankle.
Teachers are not to dress in bright colors.
And this is how Elsie described the frontier mining town of Jerome, which struck such fear in her heart upon her arrival: “I never imagined such a town. It looks like New York slums turned loose on a hillside and like Spain and Italy and almost like Chinatown combined. The mountainside is bare and bleak and the houses are . . . mysterious looking. One goes into a house from a dirty sidewalk and muddy street . . . The dirty saloons are surrounded by groups of foreigners who stare.”
Fortunately, Jerome was not her final destination. Elsie’s Oak Creek Schoolhouse—though itself a bit of an eyesore—was in the lovely Verde Valley, surrounded by thick groves of trees at the foot of the breathtaking Black Hills. Once settled there, Elsie thrilled to the beauty of her surroundings and the challenges of teaching her young pupils. Her words, though penned a hundred years ago, shine with a youthful enthusiasm and spirit of innocence.
I enjoyed experiencing Elsie’s adventures with her—her train rides, first days in the classroom, life among the country folks, and poignant experiences with love and romance. Her story touched my heart and kept me turning pages.
June 2, 2013
Elsie, the Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher 1913-1916, was a wonderful read! The best aspect for me was that I could read the actual words of a woman who lived a hundred years ago. Elsie Reed was an independent woman, well educated, from a loving family, but not spoiled. In 1913, Elsie accepted a job teaching in one of the more remote areas of Arizona which had become a state the previous year.
The treasure trove of diaries and letters of her life between 1913-1916, compiled and annotated by her granddaughter, Barbara Waite, reveals an adventurous and resourceful woman, but also a very kind person. Filled with a zest for living and intent to do her best teaching at the edge of the remaining frontier, the diary and letters reveal so much about her life day-to-day. For the span of the book, you are a friend of Elsie’s, right there with her, seeing this and that. One of the things that surprised me was how much she traveled, at sometimes considerable distances, around the areas where she was teaching to visit new friends, attend all sorts of events and social gatherings, and to see the sights. Numerous times there was some risk, weather or otherwise in traveling when she did. My favorite excursion was the one in which she and friends have a memorable experience at the Grand Canyon. The “machine” she refers to occasionally is an automobile, a still scarce mode of transportation at that time. We learn so much about her life in the three-year span from teaching and social activities, to her closeness with her family, to the physical facilities in which she lives and even humdrum housekeeping chores. At times the latter subject seemed repetitive in her diary entries, but that is the way life really is for people in any time period.
The threads of more than one love story weave their way through the diary entries. We have no idea where the stories of Elsie and her friends and family will go, and because we care about her and all these people she meets and gets to know, we want to keep reading, at least I did. Elsie does not reveal everything about how she feels in her writings, especially the more personal aspects of her life, but gives clues to her views and concerns about the men she meets, especially those who are interested in her.
Barbara Waite, Elsie’s granddaughter, did a fabulous job of researching behind the artifacts and adding notes, giving just the right amount of explanations about diary notations that might confuse us or cause us to wonder. I read the eBook version and the photos were outstanding, complimenting Elsie’s descriptions. If this book had a weak point it was that there are numerous characters who are not mentioned enough for you to keep them straight, and in the eBook, it was inconvenient to go back to the list of people that the author provided.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in an authentic read about this time period of U.S. history, and to those who enjoy a strong female character with heart.
The treasure trove of diaries and letters of her life between 1913-1916, compiled and annotated by her granddaughter, Barbara Waite, reveals an adventurous and resourceful woman, but also a very kind person. Filled with a zest for living and intent to do her best teaching at the edge of the remaining frontier, the diary and letters reveal so much about her life day-to-day. For the span of the book, you are a friend of Elsie’s, right there with her, seeing this and that. One of the things that surprised me was how much she traveled, at sometimes considerable distances, around the areas where she was teaching to visit new friends, attend all sorts of events and social gatherings, and to see the sights. Numerous times there was some risk, weather or otherwise in traveling when she did. My favorite excursion was the one in which she and friends have a memorable experience at the Grand Canyon. The “machine” she refers to occasionally is an automobile, a still scarce mode of transportation at that time. We learn so much about her life in the three-year span from teaching and social activities, to her closeness with her family, to the physical facilities in which she lives and even humdrum housekeeping chores. At times the latter subject seemed repetitive in her diary entries, but that is the way life really is for people in any time period.
The threads of more than one love story weave their way through the diary entries. We have no idea where the stories of Elsie and her friends and family will go, and because we care about her and all these people she meets and gets to know, we want to keep reading, at least I did. Elsie does not reveal everything about how she feels in her writings, especially the more personal aspects of her life, but gives clues to her views and concerns about the men she meets, especially those who are interested in her.
Barbara Waite, Elsie’s granddaughter, did a fabulous job of researching behind the artifacts and adding notes, giving just the right amount of explanations about diary notations that might confuse us or cause us to wonder. I read the eBook version and the photos were outstanding, complimenting Elsie’s descriptions. If this book had a weak point it was that there are numerous characters who are not mentioned enough for you to keep them straight, and in the eBook, it was inconvenient to go back to the list of people that the author provided.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in an authentic read about this time period of U.S. history, and to those who enjoy a strong female character with heart.
May 3, 2013
I enjoy anything "old west" and was hoping for a little more excitement and adventure here. The story starts with the granddaughter asking Elsie if there was anyone in her life before grandpa and Elsie responds, "There was a cowboy..." . So I'm thinking this could be interesting and fun. But it truly IS just day to day diary entries and several letters back and forth to her parents during her time teaching in two different towns in early 1900s Arizona. I was bored silly reading elaborate descriptions of meals she eats -- she actually writes letters to family about such things! Who cares?! And she seems VERY prim and proper, although fickle, to say the least. I wasn't sure I liked that about her. I can honestly say my favorite part of the book, besides the photographs, was the epilogue. I could have just read that part and known the whole story! But it is a nice tribute to her grandmother that the author compiles her writings and she did a good job with preserving this time in Elsie's young life.
November 25, 2011
“Well there was this cowboy…” corrals your attention on the first page of Elsie: Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher. Writing a biography requires not just a talented author, but also a compelling subject. Barbara Anne Waite’s book about three years in her grandmother’s life have both. Published to coincide with Arizona’s centennial, the book discloses the socio-economic climate during the early 20th century. It captures Elsie’s sense of adventure, optimism and self-assurance. The reader is quickly absorbed in the story.
Cultured, college-educated, Elsie, who hails from a well-to-do California family, sets out in 1913 for her first job in an isolated, rural town. We learn from letters to her family how she adapts to teaching grammar school in a one-room schoolhouse and comes to love Arizona. She bathes in Oak Creek, rides horses and revels in her students. Ever the social butterfly, she quickly makes friends. She falls in love and suffers personal tragedy. Taking the challenge of teaching seriously, she soon works her way up to larger schools and high school classes. She is a no-nonsense woman full of pluck and resourcefulness.
A year after her grandmother’s death, the author found her diary. “I loved and still love Arizona,” Elsie says of her three years there. Waite clearly “gets” her grandmother and portrays her life and emotions clearly. Waite’s website states that her research consisted of not only Elsie’s letters and diaries, but also personal narratives on cassette tapes, manuscripts, interviews with her former students and newspaper accounts.
Biographies often are so overloaded with detail that the reader flips pages to find the "interesting" parts. Not so with this highly readable book. Elsie’s letters are fascinating. They are interspersed with photographs, illustrations, diary excerpts and author explanations. Footnotes bolster the historical context.
Elsie lives and breathes books and words. She inspired her students to love literature. You will cheer this unique, fascinating individual.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
Cultured, college-educated, Elsie, who hails from a well-to-do California family, sets out in 1913 for her first job in an isolated, rural town. We learn from letters to her family how she adapts to teaching grammar school in a one-room schoolhouse and comes to love Arizona. She bathes in Oak Creek, rides horses and revels in her students. Ever the social butterfly, she quickly makes friends. She falls in love and suffers personal tragedy. Taking the challenge of teaching seriously, she soon works her way up to larger schools and high school classes. She is a no-nonsense woman full of pluck and resourcefulness.
A year after her grandmother’s death, the author found her diary. “I loved and still love Arizona,” Elsie says of her three years there. Waite clearly “gets” her grandmother and portrays her life and emotions clearly. Waite’s website states that her research consisted of not only Elsie’s letters and diaries, but also personal narratives on cassette tapes, manuscripts, interviews with her former students and newspaper accounts.
Biographies often are so overloaded with detail that the reader flips pages to find the "interesting" parts. Not so with this highly readable book. Elsie’s letters are fascinating. They are interspersed with photographs, illustrations, diary excerpts and author explanations. Footnotes bolster the historical context.
Elsie lives and breathes books and words. She inspired her students to love literature. You will cheer this unique, fascinating individual.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
January 21, 2012
As Arizona’s centennial date approaches (February 14, 2012), here is a book that lovingly captures the state’s adventurous and optimistic spirit through the diary entries and letters of a young school teacher from 1913-1916.
Elsie Hayes arrived to the new state by train from California, eager to begin her first teaching job in the farming community of Cornville. She wrote home with great detail and fondness about the people, places and things she encountered. She wrote of the humble school house in which she worked and of the challenges of ordering groceries and school supplies by catalog. She described the stunning sunsets at Oak Creek Canyon and the warm hospitality of the community she grew to love. She told of sweet, talented students and of a rugged cowboy who was sweet on her. And she wrote of another young man who eventually won her heart.
This book was compiled by Elsie’s granddaughter, who expertly interspersed Elsie’s letters to and from her family with diary entries, photographs and newspaper articles from the early 1900s. The author was even fortunate enough to have visited, many decades later, the communities where her grandmother had taught and to have spoken with a few of Elsie’s former students. Some of their personal stories are included in the book, as well.
Lovers of history will not be disappointed with this slim memoir, a coming of age story both for a young woman and for a young state.
* I thank the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.
Elsie Hayes arrived to the new state by train from California, eager to begin her first teaching job in the farming community of Cornville. She wrote home with great detail and fondness about the people, places and things she encountered. She wrote of the humble school house in which she worked and of the challenges of ordering groceries and school supplies by catalog. She described the stunning sunsets at Oak Creek Canyon and the warm hospitality of the community she grew to love. She told of sweet, talented students and of a rugged cowboy who was sweet on her. And she wrote of another young man who eventually won her heart.
This book was compiled by Elsie’s granddaughter, who expertly interspersed Elsie’s letters to and from her family with diary entries, photographs and newspaper articles from the early 1900s. The author was even fortunate enough to have visited, many decades later, the communities where her grandmother had taught and to have spoken with a few of Elsie’s former students. Some of their personal stories are included in the book, as well.
Lovers of history will not be disappointed with this slim memoir, a coming of age story both for a young woman and for a young state.
* I thank the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.
December 13, 2012
Delightful book; could not put it down. Interesting format - entire story is told thru Elsie's diary entries, letters to and from her, and some added footnotes and comments provided by her granddaughter, Barbara Waite. The setting is rural Arizona (Cornville, Williams) from 1913 thru 1916. Elsie (from California) was hired to teach the children of the area in a one-room schoolhouse. She lives with her teaching companion in a self-described "shack". Imagine a world with no TV, no radio, no running water, no electricity, no reporters, no news, etc. Despite the "deprivation" of these "necessities", Elsie manages to successfully teach the children, meet many new friends, become active in two churches, fall in love more than once, and tour the historical sites of the area before they became national treasures. I recommend this lovely book to anyone who loves the early history of Arizona, the gift of being a teacher, adventure, and romance. A warning, however - Elsie's diary entries are not "tell-alls". You will finish this book with many unanswered questions. So, my friend (Imagination) and I filled in the blanks ourselves! It is a five-star Good Read!
September 21, 2012
This book initially caught my interest because it takes place in AZ where I grew up! I immediately was captivated by this young woman at the turn of the century on an amazing adventure, not unlike one I had just taken when moving across the country. I found her journal entries to be really frustrating most of the time, as she scarcely ever divulged her deeper feelings. Yet I kept reading because I wanted to find out where her life would take her next. Luckily the author was able to supplement with some of her research into Elsie's relationships, which gives us the insight we long for; and like any good read saves the best tidbit of juicy facts to the end. Elsie herself has inspired me to embark on a journey of my own! I made a list of all the books she mentions she has read, and started a blog about attempting to read all of them myself. I'm calling it Elsie's Book Club, and anyone can join me, or follow along at http://walkinginelsiesreadingshoes.bl...
July 9, 2012
I don't know if I can recommend this book enough.
The book was supposed to carry me over on a flight. What I didn't expect was for it to suck me in and completely engross me in the lives of very real people.
I loved this look at the old West. Reading the diary of Elsie made me go through a variety of emotions. I laughed when she and her roommate first arrived in the frontier town, cheered when she fell in love, and tried not to cry when everything fell apart.
The plot of Elsie's life is much better than anything I've read in a very long time. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the frontier and history.
The book was supposed to carry me over on a flight. What I didn't expect was for it to suck me in and completely engross me in the lives of very real people.
I loved this look at the old West. Reading the diary of Elsie made me go through a variety of emotions. I laughed when she and her roommate first arrived in the frontier town, cheered when she fell in love, and tried not to cry when everything fell apart.
The plot of Elsie's life is much better than anything I've read in a very long time. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the frontier and history.
August 11, 2012
I found this book very interesting and enjoyable. Brought back many pleasant memories of my own experiences in that part of Arizona. One of my favorites is "Montezuma's Well", and to read Elsie's adventures throughout this area was fun. Her story told thru the journal, letters & people she knew was very well done. A good read for people interested in the "history of a state".
March 9, 2013
Really enjoyed this.
It totally made me feel unadventurous when compared to those school-teachers of so long ago. Elsie Hayes went tramping nearly every weekend when there was fine weather. She was always up for a new experience and seeing more of her environment.
It totally made me feel unadventurous when compared to those school-teachers of so long ago. Elsie Hayes went tramping nearly every weekend when there was fine weather. She was always up for a new experience and seeing more of her environment.
November 19, 2014
I love reading historical books, especially when they are truly based on real life people with actual true accounts of what happened. Events in this book were taken from journals written by the main character. Read and enjoy this adventure into true, real life of the past.
December 19, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Those women were extremely brave to go west to teach and some developed long standing relationships with their students. A lot of fun from an Amazon bargain book.
March 28, 2012
Starts quite brilliantly, loses some momentum from there, but history buffs will enjoy it.
I struggled with how to rate this book. If you love historical non-fiction, you're going to like this more than ... well, anyone else, really. It's not so much a narrative as a diary, with comments interspersed by the diary writer's granddaughter.
Her grandmother's tale is interesting, but not astounding or surprising. It's personal, due to a relationship she mishandles badly, seriously scarring the other party even though, as a young woman, she's easily forgiven for not realizing the gravity of it. It's the only narrative within the larger context that kept me reading, because everything else she faced is familiar, and has been told before by other writers.
But there's a general lack of exposition and context, because it's a diary. Half the entries are just reminders of what happened that day, and don't add much to the overall picture.
The title is "Adventures" of an Arizona Schoolteacher, but she doesn't really have any adventures. She sees a part of America that no longer exists, the unspoiled west, and in the same nostalgic manner that Hunter S. Thompson's discussions of "Big Sur Country" when it was undeveloped cause us to sigh with the regret of loss, so occasionally does Mrs. Waite's grandmother Elsie.
She also deals with the common occurrence of premature death among loved ones and restrictions such as a lack of refrigeration. This again is interesting only if it seems strange to you. It was 1913. It wasn't strange.
Waite's own writing is clean and efficient. She wisely doesn't try to inject artifice or gravitas into the book. At the same time, her chapter entries and explanations are often more engagingly written than the original source material. One photograph notes that Elsie went to college with Thornton Wilder ... and yet that's all we hear of it. We must assume the source material had nothing else, but it cries out for some inclusion, even if it's just a paragraph explaining his importance.
Elsie Waite seemed like a sweet, nice young woman with a large heart, perhaps too big for her own good sometimes. But she was also as naive as her time, and as young women then tended to be, and perhaps as a consequence, a tragedy takes place. She does a lot of good, teaching and supporting kids in a time in the old west when people still drew six shooters and shot each other over a debate, the end of the horse era and the beginning of automation.
It adds up to an interesting and personal read, but principally for those fascinated with early Arizona.
I struggled with how to rate this book. If you love historical non-fiction, you're going to like this more than ... well, anyone else, really. It's not so much a narrative as a diary, with comments interspersed by the diary writer's granddaughter.
Her grandmother's tale is interesting, but not astounding or surprising. It's personal, due to a relationship she mishandles badly, seriously scarring the other party even though, as a young woman, she's easily forgiven for not realizing the gravity of it. It's the only narrative within the larger context that kept me reading, because everything else she faced is familiar, and has been told before by other writers.
But there's a general lack of exposition and context, because it's a diary. Half the entries are just reminders of what happened that day, and don't add much to the overall picture.
The title is "Adventures" of an Arizona Schoolteacher, but she doesn't really have any adventures. She sees a part of America that no longer exists, the unspoiled west, and in the same nostalgic manner that Hunter S. Thompson's discussions of "Big Sur Country" when it was undeveloped cause us to sigh with the regret of loss, so occasionally does Mrs. Waite's grandmother Elsie.
She also deals with the common occurrence of premature death among loved ones and restrictions such as a lack of refrigeration. This again is interesting only if it seems strange to you. It was 1913. It wasn't strange.
Waite's own writing is clean and efficient. She wisely doesn't try to inject artifice or gravitas into the book. At the same time, her chapter entries and explanations are often more engagingly written than the original source material. One photograph notes that Elsie went to college with Thornton Wilder ... and yet that's all we hear of it. We must assume the source material had nothing else, but it cries out for some inclusion, even if it's just a paragraph explaining his importance.
Elsie Waite seemed like a sweet, nice young woman with a large heart, perhaps too big for her own good sometimes. But she was also as naive as her time, and as young women then tended to be, and perhaps as a consequence, a tragedy takes place. She does a lot of good, teaching and supporting kids in a time in the old west when people still drew six shooters and shot each other over a debate, the end of the horse era and the beginning of automation.
It adds up to an interesting and personal read, but principally for those fascinated with early Arizona.
March 31, 2013
"Elsie - Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher 1913 - 1916" by Barbara Anne Waite was recommended to me by a friend whose literary judgement I trust and this book was a good reminder why.
The book is a cleverly composed annotated memoir by the granddaughter of Elsie, a Schoolteacher in Arizona 1913 - 1916. Having a soft spot for Arizona this was a double treat, as I not only got reminded of many great sights in the beautiful country but also got a chance of a well researched, documented and illustrated insight into that particular period of time in Arizona: The way of living, the type of schools, the fashion, food and clothes supply and distribution, morals and manners of the time. To make the experience even more of a pleasure, Elsie is a great object to study, her diary entries and letters show a very kind and likeable woman with an adventurous spirit.
The main focus of the story seems to be her unfulfilled love affair with Karl, a local farmer four years her junior, who she falls for but with whom a liaison seems impractical and questionable. It was heart breaking to me to read about her heartache.
The concept of this book is truly inspired, the author has taken great care in giving us as much insight and original documentation as possible but knew where to 'interfere' and write or explain the story for us directly.
I am much more a fan of fiction than of biography because of the dangers that the object in question might be glorified and I had that reservation on my mind when opening the book, written by a relative of Elsie, but the author did very well in letting Elsie speak enough for herself and including her relative's letters to ensure credibility.
The writing flew so smooth and easily it was a delight to read. I agree with the overwhelming majority of the so far 189 (!) Amazon voters and award a very heartfelt 5 stars to this gem of a book. A great find for history buffs and readers interested in a good story.
The book is a cleverly composed annotated memoir by the granddaughter of Elsie, a Schoolteacher in Arizona 1913 - 1916. Having a soft spot for Arizona this was a double treat, as I not only got reminded of many great sights in the beautiful country but also got a chance of a well researched, documented and illustrated insight into that particular period of time in Arizona: The way of living, the type of schools, the fashion, food and clothes supply and distribution, morals and manners of the time. To make the experience even more of a pleasure, Elsie is a great object to study, her diary entries and letters show a very kind and likeable woman with an adventurous spirit.
The main focus of the story seems to be her unfulfilled love affair with Karl, a local farmer four years her junior, who she falls for but with whom a liaison seems impractical and questionable. It was heart breaking to me to read about her heartache.
The concept of this book is truly inspired, the author has taken great care in giving us as much insight and original documentation as possible but knew where to 'interfere' and write or explain the story for us directly.
I am much more a fan of fiction than of biography because of the dangers that the object in question might be glorified and I had that reservation on my mind when opening the book, written by a relative of Elsie, but the author did very well in letting Elsie speak enough for herself and including her relative's letters to ensure credibility.
The writing flew so smooth and easily it was a delight to read. I agree with the overwhelming majority of the so far 189 (!) Amazon voters and award a very heartfelt 5 stars to this gem of a book. A great find for history buffs and readers interested in a good story.
April 22, 2013
Elsie was a schoolteacher in Arizona for a few years, starting in 1913. This book is a compilation of her short diary entries, plus a few letters home during that time. It was compiled by her granddaughter, Barbara Anne Waite, after Elsie passed away.
Barbara asked her grandmother whether she had ever loved anyone before marrying her grandfather. Elsie's tearful answer sets up a sense of mystery. The reader is enticed to read on, hoping to find out what mystery her grandmother had been keeping all those years.
It doesn't take long before we meet the handsome cowboy who courted her during her first year of teaching near a remote village, Cornville. She lived in an off-the-grid shack near Oak Creek and bathed in the creek water, rooming with another young teacher. The young man had land and access to a car, providing mobility and a way to tour the countryside.
After that year, she moved up in the world. She got a teaching position in Williams which provided many more opportunities for her.
Throughout her diary she mentions the books she reads. Literary studies were her first love. She also mentions her dearest friends, two girls who had created a clique with her which they called the Triumvirate. Sadly, one of the girls had died in a house fire and the other was quite ill.
Because I like to write novels set in this time period I very much appreciated reading Elsie's diaries with wordings I felt were quaint and period-specific. She called photographs "Kodaks" and cars were "machines."
I recommend this book and others like it for anyone writing novels set in the early 1900's. I have just had one published, River Girl, and wish I had read this diary while I was writing it. I'm working on another set in the same time period, so this book helped me with my research.
Barbara asked her grandmother whether she had ever loved anyone before marrying her grandfather. Elsie's tearful answer sets up a sense of mystery. The reader is enticed to read on, hoping to find out what mystery her grandmother had been keeping all those years.
It doesn't take long before we meet the handsome cowboy who courted her during her first year of teaching near a remote village, Cornville. She lived in an off-the-grid shack near Oak Creek and bathed in the creek water, rooming with another young teacher. The young man had land and access to a car, providing mobility and a way to tour the countryside.
After that year, she moved up in the world. She got a teaching position in Williams which provided many more opportunities for her.
Throughout her diary she mentions the books she reads. Literary studies were her first love. She also mentions her dearest friends, two girls who had created a clique with her which they called the Triumvirate. Sadly, one of the girls had died in a house fire and the other was quite ill.
Because I like to write novels set in this time period I very much appreciated reading Elsie's diaries with wordings I felt were quaint and period-specific. She called photographs "Kodaks" and cars were "machines."
I recommend this book and others like it for anyone writing novels set in the early 1900's. I have just had one published, River Girl, and wish I had read this diary while I was writing it. I'm working on another set in the same time period, so this book helped me with my research.
June 9, 2013
Barbara Anne Waite and I must have some things in common because this book about her grandmother is exactly the kind of book I can see myself putting together. Elsie - Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher 1913-1916 is a compilation of journals, letters, and newspaper articles from a short period of time in the life of a young woman about my own age. We even read some of the same books (such as Laddie: A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton-Porter). This kind of book may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it immensely. It made me wish again that I could read the journals written by my own ancestors. But, since I don't have them, Elsie's will do for now!
Every journal is a unique expression of its author's personality and priorities. By reading the daily, short entries of Elsie Reed Hayes -- usually no more than a few sentences -- we can see her love of family, children, education, and books. Her loyalties are strong and her love deep. No stranger to tragedy, we feel some of her pain as she loses a dear friend to a slow, lingering illness, deals with a broken off romance, and enjoys the growth of true and lasting love. Elsie is often vague, so I am thankful for the research and notes of the compiler. This is a real journal -- not a novel with detailed character descriptions or a carefully woven plot.
It has inspired me to write more in my own journal and not worry so much about length or detail. Something is so much better than nothing, and every word is powerful.
This is a treasure to Elsie's descendants and a worthy read for the rest of us.
Every journal is a unique expression of its author's personality and priorities. By reading the daily, short entries of Elsie Reed Hayes -- usually no more than a few sentences -- we can see her love of family, children, education, and books. Her loyalties are strong and her love deep. No stranger to tragedy, we feel some of her pain as she loses a dear friend to a slow, lingering illness, deals with a broken off romance, and enjoys the growth of true and lasting love. Elsie is often vague, so I am thankful for the research and notes of the compiler. This is a real journal -- not a novel with detailed character descriptions or a carefully woven plot.
It has inspired me to write more in my own journal and not worry so much about length or detail. Something is so much better than nothing, and every word is powerful.
This is a treasure to Elsie's descendants and a worthy read for the rest of us.
March 18, 2014
I enjoyed this true story about Elsie, a well educated cultured woman who moved to the frontier to take a job as a school teacher in 1913. It's an interesting look at life on the frontier, a working woman in 1913, and the life of a new school teacher.
Elsie's grand-daughter compiled the book from materials she found and interviews. The majority of the book is Elsie's diary - short recordings of what her life was like - day by day. It was very hard for Elsie to be separated from her family - the book contains letters they wrote back & forth to one another.
Some of the book was quite amusing to read - school teachers and ladies of that time period had very strict norms to adhere to. I followed with interest the men she met and dated and what her social life was like.
Elsie was a well read intelligent woman and I enjoyed her notations in her diary about the books she was reading and movies she went to see. I also could appreciate how much she must have missed her family. She was very selective about the men she dated and was not the type of woman looking for just any man to marry.
It seemed like her students loved and respected her and remembered her. She had a great impact on them as a teacher.
I'm glad that Barbara Anne Waite compiled this book about her grandmother. It was interesting to learn about what life was like for a school teacher on the frontier in 1913.
Elsie's grand-daughter compiled the book from materials she found and interviews. The majority of the book is Elsie's diary - short recordings of what her life was like - day by day. It was very hard for Elsie to be separated from her family - the book contains letters they wrote back & forth to one another.
Some of the book was quite amusing to read - school teachers and ladies of that time period had very strict norms to adhere to. I followed with interest the men she met and dated and what her social life was like.
Elsie was a well read intelligent woman and I enjoyed her notations in her diary about the books she was reading and movies she went to see. I also could appreciate how much she must have missed her family. She was very selective about the men she dated and was not the type of woman looking for just any man to marry.
It seemed like her students loved and respected her and remembered her. She had a great impact on them as a teacher.
I'm glad that Barbara Anne Waite compiled this book about her grandmother. It was interesting to learn about what life was like for a school teacher on the frontier in 1913.
January 5, 2018
An absorbing, inspiring book! Elsie: Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher chronicles, mostly in Elsie Hayes' own words, a remarkable young woman's years of teaching school in the new state of Arizona—first in a small rural school on Oak Creek, and later in a larger grade school in the more settled town of Williams—years that would bring her joy, sorrow and romance alike. Her diary entries and letters home to family in California sketch a fascinating picture of everyday living on the Verde Valley ranch where she boarded, the social life of both the smaller and larger communities, the people she met and places she visited. In her letters, especially, Elsie's personality shines through—her love for her family; her love of books, children and the beauties of nature; her readiness for adventure and the faith in God that sustained her through times of trouble. The inclusion of some letters from her family and friends is special, giving more insight into Elsie's background and her close relationships with parents, sisters and friends. There's also plenty of good pictures of the people and places mentioned in the book. Highly recommended if you enjoy a glimpse into history, or a glimpse through letters and journals into an interesting life!
February 13, 2014
This is an excellent book on life as a teacher in the new state of Arizona. It was compiled by her granddaughter, who used her diary, letters, and research surrounding the time Elsie Hayes spent in Arizona. She was a school teacher from California who ventured in the "wilds" of a state newly brought into the union. She first taught at Cornville, where they did not have any of the modern conveniences of the time. From there, she taught at Williams for two years. It was quite a fascinating read! I enjoyed learning about how different it was then. I also grew up near that area, so it was fun reading about some landmarks that I am familiar with.
One thing that I did not like was the choppiness of the writing. It was taken directly from her diaries and letters that she wrote and received, but there are a lot of gaps. She had burned a lot of letters that would have been great to fill in a lot of the questions you develop as you go along. With the limitations though, it was quite well put together. I really enjoyed the extra research her granddaughter, Barbara Anne Waite, did to help fill in the gaps that Elsie left.
I would definitely recommend reading this book to get a look at the early times of Arizona statehood!
One thing that I did not like was the choppiness of the writing. It was taken directly from her diaries and letters that she wrote and received, but there are a lot of gaps. She had burned a lot of letters that would have been great to fill in a lot of the questions you develop as you go along. With the limitations though, it was quite well put together. I really enjoyed the extra research her granddaughter, Barbara Anne Waite, did to help fill in the gaps that Elsie left.
I would definitely recommend reading this book to get a look at the early times of Arizona statehood!
May 12, 2012
*I received this book through the Goodreads group, Basically Books.*
All in all this was a very enjoyable book. I loved how the author kept the same wording in all of Elsie's letters. Aunt Mamie's letters were especially interesting... I loved how Aunt Mamie abbreviated the words like "you", "see", and "too" in her letters. The pictures the author included were really fascinating and definitely added to the story. On the other hand some parts in the middle were a little repetitive especially when Elsie life just consisted of calling on different people and mending. But fortunately for most of the book, Elsie went on one whirl wind adventure to another. Throughout the whole book Elsie continued to remain in contact with Mrs. Hurst, Karl's mother, which I found very curious. Things were just different back then I guess. Anyway,my favorite part was probably the epilogue which reveals what happens to most of the characters after the book's finish. So overall I really enjoyed this book, but I think most people will only fully enjoy it if they are interested in either this time-period or historical books in general.
All in all this was a very enjoyable book. I loved how the author kept the same wording in all of Elsie's letters. Aunt Mamie's letters were especially interesting... I loved how Aunt Mamie abbreviated the words like "you", "see", and "too" in her letters. The pictures the author included were really fascinating and definitely added to the story. On the other hand some parts in the middle were a little repetitive especially when Elsie life just consisted of calling on different people and mending. But fortunately for most of the book, Elsie went on one whirl wind adventure to another. Throughout the whole book Elsie continued to remain in contact with Mrs. Hurst, Karl's mother, which I found very curious. Things were just different back then I guess. Anyway,my favorite part was probably the epilogue which reveals what happens to most of the characters after the book's finish. So overall I really enjoyed this book, but I think most people will only fully enjoy it if they are interested in either this time-period or historical books in general.
August 7, 2013
Fun to read about the past of places I've lived in and visited extensively such as Jerome and Prescott, Arizona, as well as Los Angeles. I would have enjoyed reading more about her actual teaching experiences -- very little described in either her letters or diary entries. Still, an interesting view of a life lived in places I have lived yet lived quite differently from how I've lived. Favorite passage from the book:
Haunted
There are those who fear shapes in the darkness,
Those who tremble at dream visitations—
Ah, but I—I am haunted by beauty,
When the past and absent are present,
And with magic of memory mountains
Far away, long unseen, rise about me.
In the blackness of night, tossing, sleepless,
(Then when all things are hidden, and seen, too;)
Or perchance it may be at mid-morning,
As from prosaic floors dust is garnered,
They are there: sudden, vivid, a vision.
Autumn leaves on a trail that winds, climbing;
High above, swaying evergreen branches;
Shining vistas of breath-taking grandeur;
Frail wild flowers by waterfalls nodding.
I hear birdcalls and wind in the forest,
Catch the tang and fragrance of mountains.
What a boon, to be haunted by beauty!
Haunted
There are those who fear shapes in the darkness,
Those who tremble at dream visitations—
Ah, but I—I am haunted by beauty,
When the past and absent are present,
And with magic of memory mountains
Far away, long unseen, rise about me.
In the blackness of night, tossing, sleepless,
(Then when all things are hidden, and seen, too;)
Or perchance it may be at mid-morning,
As from prosaic floors dust is garnered,
They are there: sudden, vivid, a vision.
Autumn leaves on a trail that winds, climbing;
High above, swaying evergreen branches;
Shining vistas of breath-taking grandeur;
Frail wild flowers by waterfalls nodding.
I hear birdcalls and wind in the forest,
Catch the tang and fragrance of mountains.
What a boon, to be haunted by beauty!
July 16, 2013
This book was very enjoyable, my best friend teaches in a small two room school in rural Montana, that was what spurred my interest in this book. The look into pioneer teaching was insightful and eye opening. What life in those early years has always been interesting and a great mystery in itself. This book follows Elsie through her three years as a teacher in Arizona. It is comprised of diary entries and letters to and from Elsie herself. It must have been interesting for her granddaughter to have such a look into her grandmothers life as an unmarried woman. It made me wish I could have a peek into my grandparents earlier years. I know only bits and pieces of that time. I will recommend this interesting read to my best friend, and hope she enjoys it as much as I did. Definitely a good read. I ended up buying a paperback copy of this book because I sold my kindle for a nook and wanted to enjoy it again. Another reason for a print book was the print version is more like hand writing, much to be enjoyed that was missed in the first read.
October 17, 2012
I found this book to be fascinating. It gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a teacher. The book Elise: Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher allows the reader to see the challenges that the school teachers of this bygone era face. It is almost incomprehensible at some levels what primitive conditions some teachers taught under. It also shows the utter glory of the teaching profession in that time. I liked the book because it also gave a true glimpse into what life was like. Elsie's diary gave us tidbits about her everyday life....from cleaning the house to dating to heartbreak and then finding love. It was a great first person view into that time frame. I found the book, which was written by a descendant of Elise, Barbara Anne Waite to be well worth the read. However, I did find it to be a slow read. That doesn't make it bad, it just makes it more difficult to push through. I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in history and the teaching profession.
July 30, 2014
Sweet snapshot of time
Sweet snapshot of time
I wasn't sure what to think of this book when I first started reading it, but I'm so glad I finished it. It's a quick read with historical and anecdotal details about Elsie's life and what it was like to be a schoolteacher in the new state of Arizona from 1913-1916.
The format is a combination of diary entries, letters, and prose. I was stuck by how many similarities there were 100 years later. She treated her diary as many treat Facebook today, in that she'd catalogue what she read, who she saw, what transpired during her day, her adventures, and most of her thoughts, though there were ever some this she chose not to write down. We really aren't that much different than people back then except for our limitless conveniences, or perhaps burdens, depending on what you believe.
Thanks for sharing your family with us Barbara!
Sweet snapshot of time
I wasn't sure what to think of this book when I first started reading it, but I'm so glad I finished it. It's a quick read with historical and anecdotal details about Elsie's life and what it was like to be a schoolteacher in the new state of Arizona from 1913-1916.
The format is a combination of diary entries, letters, and prose. I was stuck by how many similarities there were 100 years later. She treated her diary as many treat Facebook today, in that she'd catalogue what she read, who she saw, what transpired during her day, her adventures, and most of her thoughts, though there were ever some this she chose not to write down. We really aren't that much different than people back then except for our limitless conveniences, or perhaps burdens, depending on what you believe.
Thanks for sharing your family with us Barbara!
May 19, 2012
As an elementary teacher, I found this memoir of what it was like to teach in Arizona right after it achieved statehood extremely interesting. The photos, drawings, and letters were marvelous, and the author, Barbara Waite, did an excellent job pulling it all together with her own narrative; in fact, I wish there had been more of that. The only part that I felt could have been omitted were some of the short diary entries when they became repetitive, although they did give the reader more of a feel for what life was like in those times. What a wonderful way to honor a grandmother you loved by writing her story. Anyone who enjoys history and/or education would enjoy this quick read.
August 15, 2012
Through journals, letters, and occasional explanatory segues, Waite stitches together the story of her grandmother's youth. Although the result makes for a narrative a bit short on dramatic details, I'd say this enhances the enjoyment rather than detracts from it. Elsie's voice--exuberant, sparkling naivety eventually morphing to something much more substantial and real--contains a vivacious freshness that fairly leaps from the page. Waite's restrained comments offer just the right amount of explanation, showing that she is able to help move the story along without succumbing to the temptation of well-meant embellishment.
April 20, 2013
I enjoyed reading this. It is a melding of the diary and letters from the author's grandmother with some historical prose between to create a more complete history. The author does a fabulous job of presenting three years of her grandmother's life, which give a view of the settlement and development of Arizona that is unembellished. It is the presentation of a set of primary historical documents in a readable format. It is clear what has been added to create a timeline for the reader. If you are looking for a novel, this is not it. However, it is a piece of history, presented as a snapshot of real life. Well done!
July 27, 2023
I love reading about others way of life back in the 1900's. This book was exceptionally good in that it explained their way of life and the challenges that they encountered very well.
It is hard to believe that people actually lived like this such as drinking from irrigation ditches and making their furniture from cardboard boxes. They were very creative in order to have material things. All they had was God, each other and the food on their table.
You need to read Elsie's story and see the photos of 100 yrs ago and their way of life. It will make you appreciate what we have today.
It is hard to believe that people actually lived like this such as drinking from irrigation ditches and making their furniture from cardboard boxes. They were very creative in order to have material things. All they had was God, each other and the food on their table.
You need to read Elsie's story and see the photos of 100 yrs ago and their way of life. It will make you appreciate what we have today.
June 28, 2012
I really loved this book I love stories that are based in the past. I love all the letters and notes, however they did not always flow, sometimes it broke up the story made it choppy. I truly loved seeing early Arizona through Elsie's eyes and temperament. The only thing I would suggest changing is keeping the story and diary but moving all of the short abbreviated lists to the end they just didn't work well where they are. Other than that the story was well written, the pictures were amazing,I was transported back in time through thisbook thank you for the experience
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