Thursday 2 February 2012

The History Of The Blackboard

Blackboards are common place in schools, colleges, pubs and homes throughout the UK and have been for many years now. But have you ever wondered about the history of the blackboard?

Originally blackboards were made from a smooth sheet of black slate which were then frame with wood to stop them from breaking when used. Nowadays there are made from board or more upmarket versions are made from porcelain-enamelled black steel which lasts far longer. They are also know slightly green which is accepted to be better for the eyes.

The earliest recorded use of a blackboard was in 1801 in the USA where they were often used by instructors in military academies for lessons, tactics and drills.

The biggest leap forward in the blackboard world was in 1820 in scotland where a Geography teacher is said to have taken his student's work slates from them and attached them to the wall to make one large slate. This meant that teachers could save a huge amount of time as they no longer needed to write out individual problems for each pupil - all the problems could be displayed at the front of the class and taught to all the pupils at once. This is when the term 'blackboard' was first coined.

Since then blackboards have evolved to become more user-friendly and in many schools and colleges, they have been replaced with whiteboards. However, in recent years with the rise of country-chic styles being implemented into home decor, blackboards often appear in many homes and kitchens.

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