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IN THEIR PRIVATE CAPACITY AS
CITIZENS, AGAIN ACCORDING TO
THE GROUP.
>> ON BULGER'S BEAT ALTHOUGH
WE LIVE IN A WORLD RULED BY
E-MAILS PRIMITIVE PIECES OF
THE PAST STILL EXIST.
THE PENCIL AND THERE'S A BIG
TENNESSEE CONNECTION.
TERRY BULGER HAS MORE.
YOU KNOW MOST OF US DON'T
THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE
DON'T USE A PENCIL VERY OFTEN
BUT SOMEBODY IS BUYING IT.
>> THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF
THINGS THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
WERE USING THAT WE STILL ARE
BUT THE PENCIL IS ONE NO
DOUBT.
WHETHER IT WAS SECOND GRADE,
SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL OR A
COLLEGE MATH MAJOR, IF YOU
WERE IN SCHOOL ANYWHERE IN THE
LAST 50 YEARS, YOU WROTE WITH
A PENCIL THAT CAME FROM
TENNESSEE.
TODAY THE PENCIL MAKERS IN
LEWISBURG ARE READY FOR THE
NEXT 50 YEARS A CEDAR STICK IS
HOW IT HAPPENS AT MOON PENCILS
IN LEWISBURG.
THE LINE ROLLING SINCE 1961.
>> THEY SAY WE'D HAVE A PAPER
LESS SOCIETY.
I THINK WE USE AS MUCH PAPER
AS EVER AND I THINK THEY SAID
AT ONE TIME THE PENCIL WOULD
GO AWAY.
I DON'T THINK SORORITY REPORT
104 MILLION BORN HERE THIS
YEAR.
PERFECTLY ENGINEERED WITH
MARSHALL COUNTY PRECISION.
LOADED NOT WITH LEAD BUT
GRAPHITE.
PAINTED BRIGHT YELLOW AND SENT
OFF TO STORES AROUND THE WORLD.
PEGGY MURPHY HAS BEEN A PENCIL
PROVIDER HERE 26 YEARS.
IT'S PRIDE THAT KEEPS HER AND
HER PENCILS SHARP.
>> WHEN YOU PUT THEM UP HERE
AND YOU KNOW NOT NOTHING WRONG
WITH THEM YOU PUT THEM IN A
BOX AND YOU KNOW YOU DONE
GOOD.
>> Reporter: IT'S MESMERIZING
WATCHING SOMETHING THAT SEEMS
SO SIMPLE, ALL OF THE PIECES
IN PLACE.
PENCILS APPEARING EAGER TO GET
INTO THE LEARNING HANDS OF AN
8-YEAR-OLD.
THE PENCIL BUSINESS MAYBE THE
ONLY INDUSTRY WHERE IT'S NOT
ALL ABOUT BECOMING NUMBER ONE.
WE ALL KNOW A GOOD PENCIL
WOULD RATHER BE NUMBER 2.
ALL SET TO TAKE YOUR ACT'S OR
TO LEARN YOUR ABC'S.
ONE TOOL STILL WORKING FOR ALL
AGES.
>> IT'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE
PENCIL.
YOU KNOW PENCIL IS ICONIC,
PART OF OUR LIVES FOREVER.
YOU KNOW?
COMFORTABLE.
>> Reporter: IT WAS THE RED
CEDAR TREES OF TENNESSEE THAT
MADE THAT AREA A HOTBED FOR
PENCIL MAKING YEARS AGO.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE NOW.
THE CEDAR ALL COMES FROM
CALIFORNIA AND OREGON.
STILL MOON PENCILS SURVIVED
AND NOW ARE THE LARGEST PENCIL
FACTORY IN THE COUNTRY.
>> WOW.
>> I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED,
WHAT IS A NUMBER 3 OR 4
PENCIL?
>> I HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE.
>> I HASN'T EITHER.
>> YOU DON'T SEE THEM.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE NUMBER 2,
IT'S THE BEST PENCIL BUT I
DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THERE IS.
I HAVE SEEN NUMBER ONE PENCILS