Stapler

Hello there. I am a stapler. Have you ever made a beautiful drawing. And then another one. And another one. Sometimes, your papers can get all mixed up. Whoosh. A little breeze can make them fly away like little birds. They flutter and flutter all over the room. It can be hard to keep your stories and pictures together. But that’s where I come in. I love to help keep all your wonderful ideas in one neat, happy pile so they never get lost.

A very, very long time ago, my great-great-great-grandparent was made for a king. His name was King Louis XV, and he lived in a big castle in a place called France. His paper fastener was very fancy and special. Later on, a very clever man named George McGill saw piles and piles of messy papers. He thought and thought about how to help. Then, on a sunny day, July 24th, 1866, he had a super smart idea. He imagined a little machine that could give papers a tiny metal hug to hold them together, nice and tight. He wanted to make something that everyone could use to keep their papers from flying away. That idea was the beginning of me.

Do you know how I work. You press down on my back, and I make a happy little sound. Ker-chunk. Just like that. A little metal hug holds your papers together. I help you at school keep all the pages of your art project in order. I help grown-ups at their jobs keep important papers from getting mixed up. I feel so proud when I help you. I love helping everyone stay organized and keep their wonderful ideas safe and sound, all in one place.