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Schools Revive No. 2 Pencils as AI Cheating Fears Rise

8/25/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Caroline Weaver, a pencil historian, says the yellow paint and eraser tops make the No. 2 pencil uniquely American.
John Thoreau, Henry David Thoreau’s father, created the 1-to-4 scale that established No. 2 as the optimal pencil.
A worn No. 2 pencil will be displayed in Phoenix on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026.
Many schools now require handwritten exams to curb AI cheating, reviving No. 2 pencil use.

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Story summary

Caroline Weaver, a pencil historian, says the yellow paint and eraser tops make the No. 2 pencil uniquely American.
John Thoreau, Henry David Thoreau’s father, created the 1-to-4 scale that established No. 2 as the optimal pencil.
A worn No. 2 pencil will be displayed in Phoenix on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026.
Many schools now require handwritten exams to curb AI cheating, reviving No. 2 pencil use.