How the No. 2 pencil became a uniquely American school supply staple

The briefing

The yellow No. 2 pencil remains a ubiquitous symbol of American education despite the digital shift in schools. Historian Caroline Weaver notes that elements like yellow paint and the eraser-tipped ferrule are uniquely American innovations. Henry David Thoreau's family helped pioneer pencil grading scales, leading to the familiar 'HB' and 'No. 2' standard.