What is the name of the children's writing pad that was popular in the
1950s and 1960s that had a black, waxy undersurface and a thin opaque
film on top -- where you could write with a wooden pencil and then
pull up the film top and erase what you had written?

Hi Goodlaw2!

The name of the toy you remember is the ?Magic Slate.?

Here is a picture of a Magic Slate made by Whitman in 1975. 
?Pop out the plastic pen, draw on the sheet, have your nasty sibling
lift up the plastic before you're done and erase what you were working
on.?
http://www.landofthelost.com/slate.htm

?A child?s "magic slate" (a black pad covered by a film sheet that
allows you to write messages and then lift the film to erase)?
http://www.alsaga.org/resourcetext.htm


?Remember the Magic Slate, waxy black boards covered with clear sheets
of plastic? You wrote on the sheet with a stylus, making black marks.
When you lifted the sheet up, the writing or drawing magically
disappeared.?
http://www.macon.com/mld/telegraph/2004/10/22/news/opinion/9980125.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Here are more Magic Slate images
http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=%22MAGIC+SLATE%22+


Purchase a mini Magic Slate here:
http://www.smalltoys.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=st&Product_Code=S04670&Category_Code=110

Or at eBay

5 Mini Magic Slates Classsic Toy
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1039&item=5935370409&rd=1
Dime Store Toys Magic Slate
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30&item=5936199378&rd=1

1969 SCOOBY-DOO Magic Slate
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11747&item=5936217512&rd=1

Search criteria:
Magic Slate lift film to erase

I hope this is helpful.

Best regards,
Bobbie7

Wow !!!  That was fast and OMG, it's wonderful to see these things again!

Thank you very much for the five stars and generous tip!
--Bobbie7

You're very welcome...you've solved a nagging issue that's haunted us
for the last couple of days.  You're terrific!