SEEKONK - Born and raised in Seekonk, 23-year-old Amanda Goodheart is currently a second year Public History M.A. Candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The oldest of Mark and Lisabeth Goodheart’s two children (her younger brother Zachary is currently a senior at Seekonk High School), Amanda graduated from Seekonk High School in 2004. While an undergraduate at Salve Regina University, she pursued her interest in public history with internships at several New England museums including The Preservation Society of Newport County, The Newport Restoration Foundation, and Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and Sea. After graduating from Salve magna cum laude with a B.A.S in American History and Secondary Education in 2008, Amanda began her graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst under internationally acclaimed public historians Marla Miller and David Glassberg.

She recently presented “’Oh what munths they have ben to me’: Testing the Boundaries of the Sphere at Sea, 1840-1860” at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s first annual Maritime Conference in the Humanities: Literature, History, and Culture, and is currently eligible for publication in the maritime humanities journal Nautilus. Upon receiving her M.A. this spring, she plans to continue her graduate studies at the doctoral level, and is currently applying to Ph.D programs across the country. After completing her Ph.D, Amanda hopes to work in the museum field designing public programming, museum education programs, and interpretation plans, allowing her to share her love of history with the general public.

What are your most vivid memories of growing up in Seekonk?

“’Pumpkin Somethin’ will always hold a special place in my heart. Choosing the perfect pumpkin, the pie-eating contest, the smell of apple cider on a crisp fall day … it sounds so nostalgic, but it truly was (and still is) such a special event for the community. My eighth-grade camping trip with the late Dr. Hurley evokes similar sentiments, as anyone who has ever been on that trip knows how unforgettable it was to fall in the mud pit, roast banana splits over an open fire, or square dance the night away. But I also remember the little things, like getting ice cream at Sundaes, painting sets for the high school's Drama Club productions, or feeding the ducks at the Grist Mill Pond. I have many fond memories of growing up in Seekonk.”

If you had to describe Seekonk to someone who has never been there what would you say?

“I would say it is quintessential small town New England.”

What was the topic of your paper and how did you approach the research and writing?

“My research focuses on New England whaling captains’ wives who defied social and industrial traditions by accompanying their husbands on whaling ships between 1840 and 1860. Based on my research, I argue that changes within the whaling industry and American society enabled these women to go to sea while still maintaing their reputations as proper, middle-class women. You have to remember that women were held to very strict standards during this time period. They were expected to be perfect wives, mothers, and homemakers, and were legally and socially subordinate to their husbands. In contrast, whaling was an absolutely foul and entirely masculine profession that had a very high mortality rate. Remember the ending of ‘Moby Dick?’ Melville wasn’t too far from the truth. So a respectable woman going to sea aboard a whaling ship during this period was truly a revolutionary concept, and yet the majority of the women I study didn’t feel that they were doing anything special. And that’s why I'm fascinated with them.”

Why does the subject of maritime history appeal to you?

“I must admit that I’m a late comer to maritime history, though I’ve always loved the ocean. As a kid I used to stay in the water until I was numb, hoping that someday I would sprout a tail like Arial in ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Though now that I’ve been studying maritime history for several years, I can honestly say that its greatest appeal is the fact that the sea has always connected us to the world, and the world to us. It is as beautiful as it is mysterious, and nearly every major historical event can somehow be attributed to the sea.”

Do you think papers like the one you’ve written are more appealing in New England and other seafaring places?

“Absolutely. While I feel that maritime history is universal, it is obviously most appealing to areas with maritime pasts such as New England. However, when I presented my research at Massachusetts Maritime Academy a few weeks ago, several scholars from non-coastal areas were very interested in my ideas, so perhaps I’m onto something.”

You’ve had success in academics and have aimed high for your future. What advice do you have for students in Seekonk looking to fulfill their dreams?

“First and foremost, stay in school and study hard. A good education is the foundation of all your future success whether it be in sports, business, the arts, or anything in between. Second, take classes in a variety of subjects. You never know what will spark your interest. Finally, read everything and anything you can from newspapers to novels to car repair guides. Not only does it help you academically, it also makes you a well-rounded person.”

What do you think about the future of the maritime industry in America?

“I think that there will always be maritime industry in the United States. Our geography encourages it, as it has for hundreds of years. The Navy will always need battleships, global trade will always rely upon international shipping lanes, and we will always need viable fisheries. Has our relationship with the sea changed since Native Americans first fished the New England coast, or since the days of the U.S.S. Constitution or the attack on Pearl Harbor? Absolutely. But the sea is as much a part of our future as it is a part of our past. Perhaps that’s why the last line of the America the Beautiful reads, “...from sea to shining sea.” It’s part of our national character.”