Comments on: Wildwood - About Bores and Boards http://islanderart.com/shore.htm/2007/04/27/wildwood-about-bores-and-boards/ The Wildwoods,The Jersey Shore, and Satire Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:43:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: LJM http://islanderart.com/shore.htm/2007/04/27/wildwood-about-bores-and-boards/#comment-114 LJM Mon, 07 May 2007 01:38:24 +0000 http://islanderart.com/shore.htm/2007/04/27/wildwood-about-bores-and-boards/#comment-114 Shoobies, it seems to me, as I read in by ute, and also, a few years ago, were those who came to the the shore by the trains (steam trains, they ran on railroad tracks along New Jersey Avenue in the Wildwoods), later the Budd cars carried them. They were called "shoobies" because they carried their lunches in shoe boxes (for those who are slow on the uptake), "shoo bee". This information is from one of the excellent Jersey folklore books ,by the late Henry Charlton Beck, who passed away at an early age, thus depriving us of more of his research into all things New Jersey that many other historians would not research. You might hear more from me, as I have known Ron since Ocober 17th, 1946. LJM Note from editor:  The definition of "shoobie" is something on which we disagree.  I also have read many of Henry Charlton Beck's books about forgotten towns in South Jersey.  I have (as have others) believed that Mr. Beck's definition was erroneous.  Most shore residents think the definition in my article is correct, mainly because we've seen these people, but never saw anyone carrying a lunch in a shoebox.  Many have also cited parents and grandparents who said the term applied to daytrippers who wore their shoes to the beach. Shoobies, it seems to me, as I read in by ute, and also, a few years ago, were those who came to the the shore by the trains (steam trains, they ran on railroad tracks along New Jersey Avenue in the Wildwoods), later the Budd cars carried them. They were called “shoobies” because they carried their lunches in shoe boxes (for those who are slow on the uptake), “shoo bee”.

This information is from one of the excellent Jersey folklore books ,by the late Henry Charlton Beck, who passed away at an early age, thus depriving us of more of his research into all things New Jersey that many other historians would not research.

You might hear more from me, as I have known Ron since Ocober 17th, 1946.

LJM

Note from editor:  The definition of “shoobie” is something on which we disagree.  I also have read many of Henry Charlton Beck’s books about forgotten towns in South Jersey.  I have (as have others) believed that Mr. Beck’s definition was erroneous.  Most shore residents think the definition in my article is correct, mainly because we’ve seen these people, but never saw anyone carrying a lunch in a shoebox.  Many have also cited parents and grandparents who said the term applied to daytrippers who wore their shoes to the beach.

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