Of Pens and Pencils
Steven Yates, a philosopher with the Ludwig Von Mises Institute, wrote an amusing op-ed about the overall inanity of g-schools. He cites the following example from his own 1960’s childhood:
Some of what went on in government schools was bizarre even then. I had been writing with a ballpoint pen at home since age five. Teachers didn’t want us kids using ballpoint pens. I suppose it wasn’t in their one-size-fits-all educratic manuals telling them what little kids should know how to do. So we used pencils. Or at least, I did when I was there. When I went home, I pulled out my ballpoint pen. I recall the day my fourth grade teacher introduced the class to ballpoint pens. She made a Hollywood production out of it. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why. They were ballpoint pens, not magic wands.
I recall that I also wasn’t allowed to use a pen regularly until the fourth grade, and I attended a private school for “gifted” children. Which means the g-school kids in my area were probably pen-deprived till at least junior high.
3 Responses to “Of Pens and Pencils”
 Comment by Ed Hurst July 22nd, 2004 at 11:01 am |
I’m all for freedom of choice. I always preferred pencil because I need to make frequent corrections, and a No.4 lead because I routinely press hard enough to break No.2s. Nothing wrong with ink pens, per se, but they aren’t my style. Got into trouble a lot after 6th grade on that one. All of which shows that g-school are all about quashing anything that resembles individuality. I recall one college professor who was libertarian. He was open to suggestion on things that were not really essential. Not having a typewriter or access at the time to a computer, he allowed me to turn in a handwrittern version of my reseach paper because I had taken the pains to recopy carefully in ink, printed neatly, and on time. He was the lone example at that state-owned college. |
 Comment by ben July 22nd, 2004 at 8:33 pm |
can you actually see what you’ve written with a No.4? My high school drafting teacher had a No.9 he called his “nail”…. |
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Comment by Ed Hurst July 23rd, 2004 at 11:08 am |
Yes, it’s quite readable, though somewhat lighter colored than No2. Now that I’ve gotten arthritic enough to lighten up some, I use No3s. I still break No2s. |