Arthur Fry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Fry
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Fry with a Post-it Note on his forehead
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| Born | August 19, 1931 Owatonna, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Known for | Post-it Note creation |
Arthur "Art" Fry (born August 19, 1931) is an American inventor and scientist. He is famous for helping to create the Post-it Note. This useful office item is made by a company called 3M. By 2006, Post-it products were sold in over 100 countries around the world.
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Arthur Fry's Early Life
Arthur Fry was born in Owatonna, Minnesota. He later lived in Iowa and Kansas City, Missouri. He went to a small, one-room school when he was young. In 1953, while still in college, Fry started working at 3M. This company was then called Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. He worked there as a researcher, helping to create new products. He continued this work until he retired in the early 1990s.
Fry earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1955.
How the Post-it Note Was Invented
The idea for the Post-it Note came to Fry in 1974. That year, he went to a presentation by another 3M scientist, Spencer Silver. Silver had created a very special kind of adhesive (which is like glue) in 1969. This adhesive was unusual because it could stick to things, but it was also weak enough to be removed easily without leaving a mark. At the time, Silver was still looking for a good use for his invention.
The story goes that Fry was singing in his church choir. He used small pieces of paper to mark pages in his songbook. But these bookmarks often fell out or moved around when he opened the book. He suddenly thought that Silver's special adhesive could solve this problem. If he put the adhesive on paper, it could make a bookmark that would stay in place without damaging the page.
The very next day, Fry asked for a sample of Silver's adhesive. He started trying out different ideas. He put the sticky glue only on one edge of the paper. This way, the part sticking out of the book would not be sticky. Fry then started using these sticky notes to write messages to his boss. This made him realize that his idea could be much bigger than just a bookmark. It could be a whole new product: the Post-it Note.
The Success of Post-it Notes
It took a few years for the Post-it Note to become a real product. There were some technical problems with making them. Also, some people at 3M were not sure if the product would sell well. But in 1980, Post-it Notes were finally sold across the country.
In 1981, 3M recognized Post-it Notes as their best new product. The team that created the Post-it Note also won 3M's Golden Step Award in 1980 and 1981. This award is given to teams who create very successful new products that make a lot of money. Fry was named a corporate researcher at 3M in 1986. He is also part of special groups at 3M that honor top scientists and innovators.
Arthur Fry lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Post-it Note has even appeared in pop culture. For example, in the 1997 movie Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, Arthur Fry was mentioned as the real inventor of Post-its.
In 2008, Post-it Notes were featured in a TV show in Taiwan called Fated to Love You. This show was about a woman who used Post-it Notes for everything. In one episode, the main male character even talked about Art Fry as the inventor of Post-it Notes.
In 2010, Art Fry was honored by being added to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. This is a special place that celebrates great inventors.
Who Invented the Post-it Note?
While Arthur Fry is widely known for the Post-it Note, another inventor named Alan Amron also claimed to have invented similar technology. He said he shared his ideas with 3M in 1974. Amron sued 3M in 1997, and they settled the case. As part of the agreement, Amron agreed not to make future claims against the company. However, in 2016, he sued 3M again, saying they were wrongly claiming to be the inventors. He asked for a lot of money, but the case was dismissed in September 2016.
