Talk:Pencil test

Other terms

There's more (albeit speculative) information about this topic at Everything2, proposing alternate definitions, including:

• Telling Coloureds from blacks and whites in apartheid South Africa
• Determining the gender of an unborn child
• Apple Computer advertisement
• Drafting technique in animation

Someone with more knowledge of this topic should revise this article. In the mean time I'm going to remove the above bolded section. --Duozmo 06:10, 9 April 2006 (UTC)

dubious, yet factual

This claim requires a reference:

"* A type of test used by authorities in apartheid South Africa to "determine" a person's race whenever in dispute (see Coloured and Passing). A pencil would be placed in a person's hair, if it fell through they were classified as "white"; if the pencil did not fall through, they were classified differently. Members of the same family who had different hair textures would find themselves in different race groups as a result of this test. This presented serious consequences for many families (for example, see Pass Law, Group Areas Act, District Six)."

Moreover, it requires a better description of the supposed practice. Too much of it doesn't make sense: if you wanted to be white, you could just conk or shave your hair? Many people don't wear their hair long enough to support a pencil. I would be very suprised if this is anything but urban legend. Lotusduck 23:06, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

The test was done by subjective officers. Such was the craziness of the apartheid era. Unbelievable things happened. Though it's history now, people alive today can give accounts of having been subjected to the pencil test. In South Africa, "the pencil test" is remembered as one of the most ridiculous and disturbing things created by apartheid.

Animation and bra sizes

OK, we can't be serious all the time. Warning, catchy tune. --02:07, 18 June 2006 (UTC)

--- "This allows the animation to be reviewed and improved upon before passing the work on to his assistant animators, " -- Who does the "his" refer to?

Erm... the chief animator or director? Shinobu 01:54, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Apartheid Pencil Test merge

I am merging the Aparthied era S. Africa's pencil test with the One Drop Rule article. A merge request was made nearly 8 months ago. I believe sufficient time has lapsed for a discussion of the matter; and since the template was not removed, I am assuming consensus. Arjun G. Menon (talk · mail) 05:41, 5 November 2008 (UTC)

The pencil test section in the One Drop Rule article has been deleted. Since the sentence here no longer linked to an article which includes or describes the subject itself, I have deleted it.184.41.37.218 (talk) 18:59, 22 May 2011 (UTC)