Community Corner
Third Graders Visit the Water Tower
Each year, all of the village's third grade students take a field trip to the Water Tower. And, this year was no exception.
Every year, as long as anyone can remember, the Western Springs Historical Society has invited all of the grade schools in Western Springs to bring their 3rd grade students to the historic Water Tower to learn more about the village’s history. This usually has been done toward the end of each school year.
This year, the tours and presentations took place on May 28th (three classes from Laidlaw School), May 29th (two classes from Forest Hills School), and June 3rd (three classes from St. John of the Cross and two from Field Park School). In total, an estimated 150 to 200 students toured the Tower and peppered the volunteer docents with questions.
This year’s tours were conducted by Pete and Nancy Caris, Al Mungi, Holly Klunk-Carolla, Nicole Chen, Jennifer Watland, and John Devona.
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While the interests of each class were different, the most popular item in the whole museum seemed to be an old typewriter. Most children had never seen one! Also popular was a large 1870’s music box, the original (1880’s) railroad station ticket window, a World War I exhibit, and
the museum’s collection of china dolls.
In the course of the tours, docents talked about the village’s early history, asked the students various questions, and received some interesting answers. Among the more interesting questions and answers were:
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1. Where did residents get water before the Water Tower was built? Answer … The ocean?
2. What kind of jobs did residents have in the early 1900’s? Answer … Work in grocery stores?
3. What did children do for fun before television and video games? Answer … Watch the weather?
Perhaps most surprising was how few of the 150 to 200 students remembered visiting the Water Tower Museum before. As a result, each student was invited to come back this summer with their parents and get a personal tour. The museum is open every Saturday morning (except July 4th) from 10 a.m.to Noon. And, best of all, it’s free!
Each week, the Western Springs Historical Society presents a “Blast from the Past”. To view prior stories, visit us at www.westernspringshistory.org,or just click on the author’s name shown above.
