In Maine, redskins are small, delicate, buttery-fleshed potatoes. That should be the only use of the term in 2014.

Historically, the term “Redskins” related to Native Americans, in part because they used red paint during war preparation, in part because their skin tone differed from that of the European settlers, and more ominously, because of the tendency of bounty hunters to collect native scalps in order to rid the “vermin” from a given area.

That last usage came about in Maine, which was then part of Massachusetts, to our eternal shame, when a proclamation known as the Phips Proclamation in 1755 placed a bounty on members of the Penobscot tribe, who lived and made their homes right here in the Midcoast. The proclamation read: “His Majesty’s subjects to Embrace all opportunities of pursuing, captivating, killing and Destroying all and every of the aforesaid Indians.” The colonial government paid quite a lot of money for the scalps. Fifty pounds sterling was paid for males older than 12 years of age, 25 pounds for females older than 12 years of age, and 20 pounds for children less than 12. To give some perspective, 25 pounds sterling in 1755 is worth around $9,000 today. For many Mainers, killing a single Native American meant they could buy land, educate all their sons, build a home, buy a commission in the army, start a business … or indenture a houseful of servants.

Within a year, the bounty was raised to 300 pounds sterling. One can only imagine the effect this had on the Penobscot tribe.

Several years ago, this horrific history was shared with the students at Wiscasset High School, and against the students’ wishes, the name of the school team was changed to the Wolverines.

But it was not over. Back in August, the selectboard in Wiscasset approved the name of a street to be called Redskin’s Drive. It was said it was not intended to offend.

But it was offensive, and this was made clear to the residents by Native American groups who, once again explained why the name struck horror into the hearts of descendents of tribal members.

The residents saw the light, and requested that the name be changed to Micmac Drive, honoring another tribe of local Native people. On Tuesday, the selectboard approved the change.

That was respectful, and the right thing to do. But we cannot understand why this lesson needs to be relearned every few years.

A national football team is fighting over the same issue. The term “redskin” is no more respectful than pejorative terms that refer to other races. If one cannot imagine using one of those terms to name a residential street or a sports team, please, don’t use “redskin” for that purpose either.

And if someone tells you that the term is offensive, listen to him or her.

Once again, Wiscasset has been made to look insensitive and foolish. That’s unnecessary in the modern era, when a simple internet search reveals the history of the shameful terms that litter our historic vocabulary. But vocabulary changes with the times, and this term is one that belongs firmly in the produce aisle.