TODAY IS:
NATIONAL RUBBER ERASER DAY – I truly appreciate a fine rubber eraser after I have used a terrible eraser. There is nothing more frustrating than using the convenient eraser at the end of a pencil only to learn that it merely smears the pencil markings.
My favourite erasers are the white Staedtler blocks with the blue and white wrapper. When I was studying drafting in my first year of engineering, that eraser was my best friend.
Erasers have a long history. The first eraser was documented in 1770, invented by Joseph Priestly. The vegetable gum substance was literally called a rubber. Refer to an eraser as a rubber in a modern day classroom and all you will hear are giggles.
In 1839, Charles Goodyear discovered a method to cure rubber called vulcanization. Rubber erasers took a foothold and have never looked back.
Happy Rubber Eraser Day!