Kid's Camp at MacBride

Last Friday was the last day of 'spring break', during which the MacBride Museum of Yukon History had a Kid's Camp. I was invited in to talk about the history of the Northwest Mounted Police in the Yukon during the time of the Gold Rush.

I wore my RCMP Veterans red jacket, but also brought along my 1898 NWMP Superintendent's uniform complete with black boots, breeches, white gauntlet gloves, and white pith helmet (the boys thought that was a pretty funny name for a hat). We talked about all the things the NWMP did not have in 1898, that we do have today - things like cell phones, TV, iPods, cars, etc. We also talked about everything a NWMP officer would have to do every day to keep their uniform looking good.

The kids helped me polish the brass buttons on the uniform, using a clasp behind the button so we wouldn't get the polishing liquid on the uniform - they thought that was "ingenius". We then got out the shoe polish and polished up the black boots. It was interesting that none of the kids had ever smelled shoe polish. I told them the smell of shoe polish reminded me of my days in RCMP training when every day for 9 months we had to polish shoes and boots.

Next the silver spurs got polished up. Then the medals, the belt buckle and the brass on the helmet. The kids said it was a wonder they ever got any police work done with all the polishing and cleaning they had to do each day. Good point, I said, because we just did things to keep the uniform clean and shiny. What about keeping the barrack room tidy and clean, and the horse, the tack and the stables?

Anyway, it was great fun. The kids really got into it and asked some interesting questions. They wanted to know all about the rank insignias on the uniform, the embroidered double Austrian knot on the sleeves, the braided shoulder boards, and the differences between the badges of the NWMP, the RNWMP and the RCMP, and also why these names changed.

Afterward, the little girl in the photo stood up, thanked me for coming (big applause), and made a formal invitation for me to attend their play at 4:00 pm. It was to be a re-enactment of the confrontation between Soapy Smith and Frank Reid in Skagway. She said, "We're scheduled to start right at four o'clock, but if we start a few minutes late we hope you'll understand." I said, "Certainly, and would it be all right if Ibrought Mrs. Moorlag along?" They all thought that would be wonderful (more applause).

As I was putting my things away, one of the boys came up and said, "May I ask you a question?" I said, "Sure, go ahead."

"How many arrests did you make when you were in the RCMP?"

I said, "I didn't keep track, but probably more than a hundred."

The next question was, "Did you ever have to shoot anyone?"

I said, "No, I never had to shoot anyone."

"Oh, that's very good," he said. "I'm really glad you never had to shoot anyone."

Then he said, "May I ask you another question?" I said, "sure", not knowing what to expect next. "Would it be all right if, when you come back at 4 o'clock, I introduced you and Mrs. Moorlag to my mom? I would really like you to meet her."

Susan and I showed up for the 4:00 production. Everyone was madly running around with last minute costume adjustments and prop placements. It seemed there were all Directors and no Actors. The boy with the questions came up and offered his arm to "Mrs. Moorlag" and asked if he could seat her. Susan had to bend down quite low as they walked along to the spectator seats so she could hold his little arm - very funny. The play (lasting all of about six minutes) was wonderful, of course. It did, indeed, start a few minutes late, but we understood.

The boy with the questions came over with his mom and introduced us. As it turned out, I already knew her and we had done some work together when I was with the RCMP and as Ombudsman. Anyway, he was proud as punch to have his mom meet us, and us her.

We also met the mom of the girl who had made the invitation, who said she was so pleased to meet "the RCMP Veterinarian" her daughter said was going to talk to them this afternoon.

We had hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, fruit and cookies, and enjoyed ourselves immensely.


(Photo by Brielle Will)