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Community Corner

Eagle Scout Project Resurrects a Piece of Winnetka's Playground History

Last weekend, Boy Scouts from Winnetka's Troop 20 helped Mason McQuet with his Eagle Scout Project resurrecting one of the original "Jungle Gym" playground structures.

The boys first cleared the grass and built a level frame. Using a machine auger, they then dug 20 holes, some almost four feet deep. The "heavy lifting" was literally that -- it took eight people to lift and transport the steel grid.

Concrete was poured and bluestone gravel added for the finishing touch. The structure was given to the museum in 2007 and was stored in the backyard of the Winnetka Historical Society. It will now remain at the museum (411 Linden) on permanent display.

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This unique piece of climbing equipment has roots in Winnetka. It was invented and patented in the Village in 1920. A larger version has been actively used at Crow Island Elementary since it was moved from Horace Mann School in 1940.

WHS Director Patti Van Cleave said, "We are so grateful to Mason and Troop 20 for taking on this project. This is our second largest artifact after the log house, and we are thrilled to see it standing properly in our yard.”

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The original structure was conceived as a collaboration between inventor Sebastian Hinton, educators Perry Dunlap Smith at North Shore Country Day School and Carleton Washburne, Superintendent of Winnetka schools.

Allegedly sketched on a cocktail napkin at a party, Hinton was inspired by a 3-dimensional bamboo structure his father had built for them as children. His father believed that it was important for children to learn to comprehend the fourth dimension and that could be accomplished by getting comfortable in a real 3-D space and with Cartesian-coordinates. Back then and now, however, most kids were just excited to climb, swing and hang "like monkeys."

McQuet, a freshman at New Trier High School, spent approximately 80 hours and $800 (from fund-raising efforts and donations) on the entire project. 

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