Schlick, Edward C. oral history interview, 1998

Edward Carl Schlick was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1928 and grew up in nearby Kearny, New Jersey. His parents were managers, his father with United States Rubber Company and his mother with Dupont. His early interest was in art, which he originally studied at Colby College. Halfway through Colby, Schlick joined the Army. After being stationed in Japan for two years, Schlick returned to the United States and got a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco. He did graduate work at Bates College and the University of Maine before becoming (briefly) a middle school teacher. In 1952, he became a radio news reporter for WHEB in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This experience sharpened his interest in politics. After his brief stint on the radio, Schlick became a political and legislative reporter for the Lewiston Sun Journal. In 1960, he became the executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, a position from which he wrote speeches for Democratic candidates, raised funds, made arrangements for events, and coordinated media coverage of Democratic events and candidates. Afterwards, he became a freelance consultant on a wide range of media, political and journalistic topics, advising various groups within the state government, the Maine Democratic Party, and the AFL- CIO.