Fun Holidays - Ballpoint Pen Day

Writing with pens and ink left blots in notebooks and stained the trousers and snow-white aprons of schoolchildren. Calligraphy was a compulsory subject in the USSR, taught in primary school until 1969. For many schoolchildren, penmanship was a real torture. Everything changed after the advent of the ballpoint pen. The patent for this invention was registered on June 10, 1943 by a traveling salesman from the United States, Milton Reynolds. This date, according to established tradition, is considered the birthday of the ball hand. The very idea of ​​writing equipment, which has made life easier for people all over the world, belongs to the Hungarian journalist Laszlo Biro. He came up with the principle of the ballpoint pen in 1931, but registered his patent only in 1938. Biro wrote a lot as part of his job and wanted to have a writing instrument that would not cause such hassle as pen and ink. Together with his brother Györd, a chemist by training, he created an ink that does not bleed or thicken. At first, the new product was available only to rich people. English pilots, who could not write with fountain pens in the air, were among the first to appreciate the advantages of stationery. Therefore, the British Air Force bought the patent for the invention from Laszlo Biro. Once in Argentina, he re-registered it and sold it to Eversharp for $1 million. In order to prevent ballpoint pen plagiarism, L. Biro had to patent the idea in all countries of the world, which was impossible to do. In fact, the American Milton Reynolds stole the idea from the Argentine "Eversharp", establishing mass production of the ballpoint pen in the USA. Biro tried to defend his rights in court, but lost. In 1958, the enterprising Frenchman Marcel Bic introduced a modified model of a ballpoint pen into production, calling it BIC. In particular, he made the ball smaller and prevented ink from leaking out. Today, BIC Corporation is the largest manufacturer of office supplies in the world. Pens produced by a French company occupy 1/3 of the US market. Today, consumers choose this essential writing accessory from hundreds of styles and colors. From a luxury item, a ballpoint pen has long become a utilitarian item that can be purchased by a person of any income level. In honor of her invention, Ballpoint Pen Day is celebrated around the world. With the help of a ballpoint pen they write words of love, do mathematical calculations, sign documents and vote in elections. The funny holiday, which is celebrated on June 10, is a good reason to remember the history of its creation and appreciate the role of this writing instrument in the life of a modern person.