Attention writers, students, and anyone who uses a pencil! Are you tired of being haunted by the ghost of mistakes past? Fear not! National Rubber Eraser Day on April 15th commemorates the invention that has been correcting errors since 1770.
#NationalRubberEraserDay
Before rubber erasers, people had to rely on tablets of rubber or wax to erase lead or charcoal marks from paper. Some even used crustless bread as an alternative!
- But in 1770, Joseph Priestly founded a vegetable gum that would revolutionize the erasing game. He called it "rubber."
- It wasn't until 1770 that Edward Nairne developed the first marketed rubber eraser. But it wasn't until 1839, when Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization, that rubber erasers became the standard.
- This method cured rubber and made it a durable material, perfect for erasing pencil marks. But the evolution of erasers didn't stop there.
- In 1858, Hyman Lipman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, patented the pencil with an eraser at the end. From that moment on, we no longer had to carry around separate erasers or rely on makeshift materials to fix our mistakes.
- So next time you make a mistake while holding a pencil, remember the inventions by these men many years ago. They made it possible for us to erase our errors and move forward with confidence.
Embrace the spirit of National Rubber Eraser Day on April 15th and celebrate the power of correction. Remember, it's okay to make a mistake, as long as you have a trusty rubber eraser to correct it.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL RUBBER ERASER DAY
- Erase that mistake.
- Buy a pack of erasers.
- Give some erasers to students, teachers, or co-workers.
- Share your favorite eraser.
- Create a video or take a photo of some of the mistakes you’ve erased.
- Use #NationalRubberEraserDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL RUBBER ERASER DAY HISTORY
April 15, 1770, marks the creation of the rubber eraser.
Eraser FAQ
Q. How large is the world’s largest eraser collection?
A. According to Guinness World Records, the world’s largest eraser collection contains 19,571 erasers. The collector, Petra Engles of Germany, has been collecting erasers for more than 25 years.
Q. Why are there so many pink erasers?
A. One of the ingredients in erasers is a substance called pumice. The type of pumice used were primarily pink or red. The Eberhard Faber Pencil Company brought the pink eraser to the world when it affixed the signature pink eraser to its pencils. Eventually, the company produced the pink pearl, a rectangular eraser that is still made today.
Q. Are all erasers pink?
A. No. Erasers come in just about every color under the sun.
Q. Do erasers have another purpose besides, well, erasing?
A. They sure do! Have you ever lost the back to your earing? Take a small piece of an eraser and slide it onto the post. Your earing will stay in place at least until you can replace the back. Other great uses for erasers include:
- Clean scuffs off your favorite pair of shoes
- Remove that sticky price tag
- Carve a custom stamp
- Polish jewelry
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