Preparing for the start of elementary school back in the 1960s was a big deal. Here’s some of the best stuff: • The Big Chief writing tablet. I can still see the red cover with the Native American ...

Overloaded backpacks, crossing guards and 3-ring binders all have their places in the iconography, but nothing says school like a sharp, yellow, No. 2 pencil. Pencils were there when we learned to ...

The No. 2 pencil could be called the Goldilocks of pencils, because it's not too soft and not too hard, making it the preferred choice on that school supply list.

3) Office supply store pencils (Staples and Office Depot brands, Penway). Many parents opt for these pencils because they’re affordable and readily available in most school supply sections.