MPES students enjoy museum’s Christmas display

Museum volunteer Cecilia Chevalier and her husband Charles (not shown) loaned the display to the museum for the Christmas season. The miniature 1970s era styled village has been in their family for years. Cecilia explained the history behind most of the building, cars and figurines that make up the village and how they came to be part of the display. - Lucie Roy Photos

By Lucie Roy

Morinville – Getting to ride a 100-year-old saddle and making some crafts were some of the activities Morinville Public Elementary Preschool’s Enrichment Program enjoyed at the Musée Morinville Museum tour Dec. 16. A miniature town, vintage Barbie doll, 1950s dolls, Christmas decorations from the 1920s and 1930s, and a living room with a gramophone and tree decorated with small candles and popcorn were all part of the student’s history lesson.

Morinville Public Elementary student Aidyn Thomson takes his turn at trying out the 100-year old saddle at the museum.
Several students were given a tour in a morning and afternoon session, each given the opportunity to create a precut prepared hand-made craft. Volunteers Lorraine Meunier and Cecilia Chevalier, along with Musée Morinville Museum Operations Attendant Donna Garrett spent the previous day cutting out cardboard shaped trees, the green felt to glue over top, and making more than thirty separate craft packages with stickers, small coloured cotton balls and glue for the students to ensemble their own design.

Every student had their picture taken on the saddle, which was donated to the museum by Avrielle Huot. A stand was made to safely support the students who sat on it.
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Another historical display students learned from was a 1970s era miniature Christmas village on loan to the museum from Charles and Cecilia Chevalier. Cecilia said the village came together with years of work and donations from family and friends. Her daughters Carol and Anita made the miniature grain elevator, school, post office, auto centre and fire hall. Their son Dan donated the train and tracks as well as some of the small vehicles, which includes a Volkswagen with luggage on top, a bus and a milk wagon. A firefighter donated a fire engine, which sits in front of the fire hall. Someone had donated numerous small figurines and Cecilia spent much time painting them to fit into the scene. Santa was a little harder to find in the scale required for the village. She said they found a Santa cake decoration that was perfect for the display. The village can be used in a versatile manner. The skating rink in the winter turns into a pond for the summer. The display is always placed differently when it is set up and she never tires of looking at the many variations. Each building in the village is set upon a small bulb and lights up when plugged in.

The village captured the attention of the students, with the many buildings and small detail in the display on how life in Morinville may have looked years ago.

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