This small slate, originally owned by Mrs. Ella Nelson, would have been used by school children in the early 20th century. Although paper had been invented, it was much too expensive during this time for families sending their children to school. The advantage of slates over paper was that slates could be wiped clean and used again, saving money on paper. Children were expected to bring a dampened cloth or sponge from home, so that they could clean the slate, but if a cloth were not available, spit and shirt cuffs were the next best thing!
Student slate boards were made from a thin piece of slate enclosed in a wooden frame. The advantage of slates over paper was that they could be wiped clean and used again and again. The slate board was made from a piece of quarry slate set in a wooden frame. However, chalk was not commonly used on these boards. Instead a slate pencil, which could be sharpened on the school wall, would used. Slate ultimately encouraged teacher-led discussions and recitation of information from students, with more emphasis on rote-learning and memorization. Therefore, the eventual transition from slate boards to paper notebooks marked a change into the common teaching styles of note-taking we know today.