As we all know, the common whiteboard eraser, or duster as some
call it, is a necessity in the modern class room. Whiteboards are
widely used in today’s teachings, and are literally the centrepiece
of learning. It is something the people of today have grown to
accept as part of our learning environments. The generations before
have developed from sticks and stones, to paper, to the blackboard
and chalk; but never did they imagine something so innovative, so
convenient and so effective. The whiteboard, markers and of course
our trusty whiteboard erasing companion, are powerful learning
assistants, and have truly made learning much easier as compared to
the days of generations past.
My essay will be focusing not so much on learning or the
whiteboard, but more of the humble whiteboard eraser. It is an
instrument so used, yet we would never notice until we need it, and
it is only then we find it missing from the bottom of the
whiteboard. When the whiteboard was first invented, markers were
used to write on it. At first, people used tissue and cloth to
erase the marked lines, formulae and writing. It was soon found to
be much of a hassle, as more often than not, the cloth would be
missing, or it was really dirty. At some point, we would find that
the cloth would become a filthy rag, and would be abused by the
students who throw it at their peers. The solution for that was
none other than tissue paper. How ingenious it seemed at that point
of time! However, as global warming, recycling, forest conservation
and littering issues started to be made known to the public, it
suddenly dawned on people that maybe it wasn’t such a great idea
after all.
In the summer of 1995, a brilliant Economics teacher finally
came up with a method to clean the whiteboard effectively. Dubbed
as the father of ingenious learning, this man (who is still called
as such, simply because no one knows who he really is) had taken
great pains to invent something that would change the way we
cleaned our whiteboards, forever. He had taken an old broken
spectacle case and stuffed it with cloth. Try to envision with me
now, this man (let’s just call him John), taking his old
broken-into-half spectacle case, stuffing cloth into it, was the
innovator of one of the most used yet ignored items in today’s
classrooms. The idea was suddenly widespread! Soon, the first
whiteboard eraser was patented, and was mass produced shortly
after. The birth of the whiteboard eraser, a huge advancement for
all of mankind’s learning.
There are so many kinds of whiteboard erasers today. As of
recent, we have seen many improvements made to John’s model. For
example, some erasers can now hold markers! Also, magnets have been
placed on the back of the erasers to enable them to stick to the
board, providing greater convenience for the user. With the sudden
growth of China, we have seen much reproduction of the same item,
although it lacks creativity or any logic. What I don’t really
understand however, is why we have stopped improving John’s model.
Such ingenuity should be passed on, no?
China has greatly aided in the globalization we now see in the
world. Much more people now have whiteboard erasers to use, with as
many as 15 million such products being produced every single day!
But the question that is left hanging in my head is: why isn’t it
improving anymore? We have seen the slight modifications done to
the erasers, but why can’t it be improved further? I'm sure much
more can be done, and much work can be applied to bring out the
potential in John’s model and its successors. For one, the current
whiteboard eraser I now have has magnets on its back. Why didn’t
anyone think of putting the magnets into the cloth, so that the
front, which is the part used to clean the board, is stuck onto the
board instead? Then I wouldn’t have to dirty my hands by grabbing
the dirty cloth part of the duster just to use it. Why, this
defeats the whole purpose of inventing the eraser! The irony of it
all.
If the purpose of an invention is defeated, it no longer has a
purpose, and its reason is lost. By contradicting its objective, we
are indirectly insulting and disrespecting the inventor. We should
definitely do something about this problem, and I think the only
way is for creative intervention to come into play, overpowering
the forces of blind mass production.
In conclusion, I personally feel that inventors and change
makers should consider the rationale behind something before
attempting to make a change. Don’t jump right into things just
because at first glance it seems novel. Think, before you act.
Thank you for your time.
