The document summarizes complaints from teachers and parents' organizations over several centuries about students' dependence on new writing and calculating technologies. It notes concerns that students in 1703 could not write without slate, in 1815 relied too much on paper, in 1907 depended on pen and ink instead of pencils, in 1929 relied on store-bought ink, in 1941 used expensive fountain pens, in 1950 overused disposable ballpoint pens, and in 1985 depended too much on calculators. It concludes that new technologies will always cause concern but continue to make lives easier.