Slate Tablet
Before chromebooks, iPads, and even lined paper, students still had to complete their assignments. In the past, students did most their schoolwork on a slate.
A slate is a small, rectangular blackboard made from slate stone. They had two sides and the edges were wrapped in leather or wood to protect students’ hands. In the 1800s, schools used slates to teach students reading, writing, and math. Students used slates because paper and ink were expensive. Students used slates to complete class work and practice their lessons. Students also took slates home to practice what they learned in school.
At first students used slate pencils to write on their slates. This was like using a light rock to write on a dark rock. Later, slate pencils were replaced with soft chalk. The soft chalk was popular because it made writing smoother. It was easy to erase homework written on a slate. After the teacher checked the student’s work, students just used a cloth or a wet sponge to clean their slates. Because they only had one slate to write on, students erased their work many times during a day. This forced students to memorize their lessons every day.