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A genuine Maine hick was originally someone who grew up in a very rural part of the state, had limited education, no more than about 8th grade or less, never left Maine, and worked in farming, timbering, or maybe fishing. They contributed the words "ayuh" and "deah", among others, to the Mainer's vocabulary.
The modern Maine hick is fewer in numbers than in previous eras, thanks to the proliferation of TV and radio, stricter education requirements, better transportation infrastructure, and, more recently, the lack of sufficient economic activity in Maine to allow them to stay in Maine. Many would-be hicks have been forced to leave Maine over the last several decades in order to find economic opportunity, and thus have been forced to shed their hickness. Wars and the military too have been a factor in allowing hicks to get out and scrub off some of their hickness.
A genuine Maine hick was originally someone who grew up in a very rural part of the state, had limited education, no more than about 8th grade or less, never left Maine, and worked in farming, timbering, or maybe fishing. They contributed the words "ayuh" and "deah", among others, to the Mainer's vocabulary.
My relatives are not Mainers, though two of my grandparents were school teachers. From among my families ancestors I am the first to attend and graduate college.
My grandparents who taught Grammar school [K-8] both had a high school diploma. But that was before The Depression and public-funded education [which was thought would get everyone high paying city jobs].
Quote:
... The modern Maine hick is fewer in numbers than in previous eras, thanks to the proliferation of TV and radio, stricter education requirements, better transportation infrastructure, and, more recently, the lack of sufficient economic activity in Maine to allow them to stay in Maine. Many would-be hicks have been forced to leave Maine over the last several decades in order to find economic opportunity, and thus have been forced to shed their hickness. Wars and the military too have been a factor in allowing hicks to get out and scrub off some of their hickness.
And then some of us retirees, move to Maine to enjoy, no to relish in, no to wallow in Maine's 'Hickness'.
A genuine Maine hick was originally someone who grew up in a very rural part of the state, had limited education, no more than about 8th grade or less, never left Maine, and worked in farming, timbering, or maybe fishing. They contributed the words "ayuh" and "deah", among others, to the Mainer's vocabulary.
The modern Maine hick is fewer in numbers than in previous eras, thanks to the proliferation of TV and radio, stricter education requirements, better transportation infrastructure, and, more recently, the lack of sufficient economic activity in Maine to allow them to stay in Maine. Many would-be hicks have been forced to leave Maine over the last several decades in order to find economic opportunity, and thus have been forced to shed their hickness. Wars and the military too have been a factor in allowing hicks to get out and scrub off some of their hickness.
Some of them moved to West Virginia and Kentucky where they are now called Hillbillies.
If I weren't so darned sick of the cold and shoveling, I would move up to Maine in a heartbeat! I loved going up there on vacations to camp in Arcadia, sometimes stay on Monhegan Island, sometimes Old Orchard Beach, the best beach in the world IMO! I love Maniacs!! Don't ever change.
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Don't ever change.
