Human Interest Human interest Museum secrets delight Williams Lake preschooler
Museum secrets delight Williams Lake preschooler
| Human interest |
By LeRae Haynes
You’re never too young to fall in love with a museum, as proved by one young Williams Lake resident who not only takes every opportunity to bring his parents in for a tour of his favourite displays, but is willing to give complete strangers guided tours, as well.
(Paul Sabatino, four years old, is pictured here in the lobby of the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin.)
Museum enthusiast Paul Sabatino has been to the museum seven times in his young life, and his parents, Rocco and Julie Sabatini say that every time they drive by, he insists that they pay a visit.
Museum Manager Pat Skoblanuik said that a museum contains exciting stories and mysteries to interest and engage youngsters. “It’s great when parents bring children to the museum—usually it’s the other way around,” she said.
Paul said that horses and cowboys are his favourite part of the museum. “He likes to hang out with John Moon at his ranch; John lets him ride with him on a horse once in a while,” his dad said. “He also likes being at the stockyard auctions with all those guys from places like Texas. He sits with his little pretend bidding card and when some of the guys ask him, ‘Why’re you buying cows for?’ he'll say, 'Hamburgers.’"
He loves seeing the cowboys on Moon's Ranch and getting to talk to them--anything about the 'old days' in rodeos and logging. His favourite show on TV, the only one he'll sit through, is 'Museum Secrets.' "That's the Rudy Johnson Bridge," Rocco said to his son, pointing to a replica of the bridge in one of the museum rooms. "You know where that is right?"
"Yep,” said Paul.
Yesterday at the museum his parents followed him into one of the side rooms where there are household tools and appliances, including a manual wringer washer, a wood cook stove, a selection of irons and a big wooden bathtub. When Julie and Rocco walked in, Paul was starting to unbutton his shirt.
"What are you doing?" they asked.
"Taking a bath: I'm kinda dirty," he responded.
Paul loves the train display in the lower level of the museum. Rocco explained that Paul's great grandfather came to BC to work on the railway after having been a prisoner of war. “He was picked up in Egypt and they asked him where he wanted to live. He went back to Italy and got himself a wife. The railway needed workers, so he went to McBride to go to work,” he said. “All five of the brothers in his family ended up coming to work on the railroad.”
(Paul is pictured here in the ‘dental’ office display on the lower level of the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin.)
Paul also enjoys the barber shop and the dental office and the medical room, enthusiastically pointing out all the ‘old’ things on display. "That's an old baby in there,” he said about the doll in the incubator.
The family enjoys a lot of outdoor activities, including hunting, ice fishing, lake fishing, hiking and camping--from the time Paul was a baby. Paul's dad said that every time they're in the bush and come across an old homestead or a bridge, Paul always wants to know what they are and how old they are and who lived there and who made them. "We read a lot of information off signs on bridges," Rocco explained.
Keeping track of old things and learning about them is something that seems to have appealed to Paul from the time he was a toddler. He thoroughly likes the museum room that features wildlife, including a bald eagle and bear and lynx hides, all of which he can identify.
Paul’s dad says that his son will walk through the museum and say, ‘This is the old Williams Lake Railway’ and, ‘This is where the old sawmill used to be.’ “He learns something new every time he's in the museum and he remembers everything he hears," Rocco said. “This is a place he loves to be.”
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