In colonial schools they didn't use pencils or paper like we use today.  People in colonial times used birch bark for paper.  Boys used lumps of coal on birch bark or on a slate to write with.  Instead of a pen they used quills (feathers) and ink.  The feathers could be white or black and the ink was always black.  They didn't use paper or pencils because they were expensive.  They didn't have chalkboards or white boards in colonial schools.   

    The school masters wanted their students to have perfect handwriting, but their spelling did not matter.  

     It would be fun to write with quills and birch bark, but you wouldn't be able to erase.  I'm glad we use pencils and paper now because you can erase and write over. 

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