I thought blackboard paint was something new. Well, relatively new. I was wrong. Again.
In 1867, Henry W. Holly of Norwich patented an improvement to the substance that would turn ordinary objects and wood into artificial slates. Those artificial slates gave rise to blackboards and menu boards and signs.
The slates carried by students to practice their writing and math on gave way to mass produced and much less expensive paper and pencil but soon every classroom could have a cheaper than real slate blackboard and chalk and if it became damaged, by accident of course, it could be repaired.
Henry Wells Holly was a prolific woodworker, writer and inventor. He wrote the Carpenters and Joiners Handbook that is still used by woodcraftsmen today. While living in Stamford he designed a Music Leaf Turner on a music stand in 1849, an improved roller for wringing-machines in 1863, an improved perpetual calendar in 1865, the improved artificial slate in 1867, an improvement for drawing nails in 1868 another improvement to marking slates while living in Brooklyn NY as well as a protector for chimneys in 1884.
He was always looking to make things better and easier. To learn more about the inventions that were patented by people from Norwich, CT do a simple search in Google Patents.
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