35 Responses to “Grenville Christian College”

1. 1 Chad  on Sep 1st, 2007 at 7:47 pm

   I’m a former GCC Staff and a Former Member of Centenial Road Standard Church. I was only a staff the last two years of it’s existance and tho there were rumors of past abuse, I can that during my time there the abuse was not happening. I can not say what did or did not happen as I was not there.

   Centenial Road Standard Church is not affiliated with the school and is only renting out space. Tho I haven’t attended the church (other than once or twice) in the last year or two. As far as I know the church is currently trying to figure out what denomination in belongs to as the “Standard” denomination no longer exists. It is more closely related to weslyian than pentecostal.

2. 2 Bene Diction  on Sep 1st, 2007 at 9:13 pm

   Chad, thank you. The post has been changed to reflect your information.

3. 3 Rev. Malachy Egan  on Sep 2nd, 2007 at 10:30 am

   I wonder how the new Anglican Primate Fred Hiltz will cover this one up? Grenville had two Anglican headmasters including Mintz; there were Anglican teachers, Anglican boardmembers and Anglican Bishops who did nothing to stop the abuse.
   Archbishop Hiltz has not dealt with the residential schools abuse issues honestly; do not expect better this time.
   You can read my latest newsletter at http://www.saintmarymagdalene.ca/news.html
   Abused students: don’t confuse Jesus with Anglicanism, Jesus is love, but I have no idea what to call the ACC.

4. 4 Bene Diction  on Sep 2nd, 2007 at 2:51 pm

   They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. Psalm 17:10

5. 5 Robert Creighton  on Sep 3rd, 2007 at 2:34 am

   I attended Grenville Christian College for three years graduating in 1987. It was an intense place to go to school, and to live. We were constantly challenged to do our best. There were a lot of rules that at the time caused anger or bewilderment, that mostly I laugh at now. There were some disciplines that, as a teenager, seemed to far exceed the offense. Never, however, in my time there (and I can speak for my two sisters who went before me, both who thrived there) did I/we suffer any abuse.

   I do not intend to deny anyone’s experience, I can only tell you my own. I can say that the influence of the Community of Jesus often caused me concern for the staff and their children, but it really did not play a huge role for me as a student attending school there. I personally loved GCC. The intensity of my time there, both happy and challenging, forged life-long friendships. GCC, and the staff there, taught me great lessons that have contributed to many of the positive things in my life today. The effort that was expected in Academics, Sports, the Arts and even socially was really challenging a lot of the time. It was that effort, though, that lead to a little school of around 300 (when I was there) to compete with larger institutions in every area. It was what lead to Dramatic Productions that were far beyond what is often seen at that level. It was that energy and effort (and yes often pressure) that lead to an incredible spirit around the school for those who chose to be a part of it and accept the challenges laid before them.

   In saying that, I am not excusing any sort of abuse that allegedly happened, but merely trying to point out the reality that there were many, many positive elements to GCC that were most people’s experience. Why do you think parents kept paying for their kids to go back there year after year? Re-enrollment in the 80’s and early 90’s was exceptionally high. The answer is that most students thrived under the pressure of the GCC environment. Some were damaged by it and that is not right, and if there were individuals who were abused at the school then their abusers should be held accountable no matter who or what they were acting in the name of. I am suggesting, however, that most people’s experience at the school was ultimately a positive one. Abuse was not a matter of course for most – pressure to do your best was.

   Everyone is human and has flaws and it probably means big mistakes were made if there is this kind of pain in some people’s lives. I absolutely feel sympathy for them. The reality is that the vast majority of GCC Alumni, if polled, would answer that they are grateful for their experiences at the school. Many would say they hated being there at times and loved it at others and have grown to see the value of it in their lives. Another group were obviously damaged by it. It seems very complicated. Again, I am not denying anyone’s experience or saying how one should or should not find closure and the ability to move on in their lives.

   The reality is that the school changed drastically in the last ten years in terms of its way of functioning (and there was a break from the Community of Jesus, which, incidentally: I would believe anything I read about CoJ) and the reporting that is being done about the decades that went before is one-sided and not representative of many student’s experience at GCC.

   Father Farnsworth was an intense man, and no doubt made some errors in judgment at times. If that was someone’s experience with him, I believe that they should have the opportunity to speak to him and be heard, and he should take responsibility (as it appears he is trying to do by an earlier post here which indicated he was trying to apologize to someone individually). I do not, however, doubt for a moment the sincerity of his purpose at GCC. In my own life history I consider Father Farnsworth a mentor in my life; one who guided me and pushed me and for whom I am grateful to have known.

   That is my experience of Grenville Christian College.

   PS. I make statments about “the vast majority” and “most students”… I can make those statements because I have been closely involved with the GCC Alumni network of people in the GCC Alumni Association and have had hundreds of emails and Facebook notes that support those statements.

6. 6 Bene Diction  on Sep 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 am

   You were kids, reading the forum (my window into your school experience) good people and good times are remembered.

   Farnsworth is behaving like any other abuser, sorry Robert I don’t care if he is your best friend, he is behaving like any other abuser.
   If any of that account has merit, he is speaking legalize.
   Church officials involved in institutional abuse have been speaking it for years. They’ll speak it years from now.

   The school structure has complex history, different groups of people running the place, different power structures, different players.
   I’m grateful to hear from people that attended and understand the nuances.

   I’d heard about the Community of Jesus some years ago, frankly my surprise came in finding out their influence in a Canadian school.

   I understand you aren’t trying to negate what occurred, and thank you for sharing your memories and experience.

   The pattern is typical, when people spoke up or tried to (as in the story of the editor of the Brockville paper) they were threatened and silenced. Rich kids are just as vulnerable as poor kids.

   I don’t give a damn if the abuse occurred for one month, one year or ten years. It is abuse and it is never okay.

   It is time for those harmed to let their voices be heard.

7. 7 Lisa  on Sep 4th, 2007 at 5:58 am

   Robert,

   I can appreciate that you can look back on GCC and see the positive things that happened there. There were positive moments, yes.
   Perhaps though, you could explain exactly how some of our experiences made a positive influence on our education and upbringing.
   For example:
   • Your said “mentor” singling out students in the dining room in front of all our peers, and staff, being humiliated and embarrassed and being told that we needed to repent for some unknown sin? Or even worse being told to stand on a chair and repeat over and over “I am an idiot”.
   • 4 other boys were made to stand at the back of the dining room and eat in silence for a week. They were forbidden to wear the uniform, and put on “D” for a week.
   • If discovered that the girls had a “crush” on a boy (or even worse finding out that a female student may have had a “special” relationship with a boy). Your said “mentor” would grill these female students with questions such as “How far have you gone with this boy?” “have you let him put his hand down you little panties?” “Have you let a boy put his hand down your blouse?” and then be accused of being “whores”, “jezebel’s” and “pieces of meat”, or my personal favourite “cocktease”.
   • How about the entire school (staff and students) being out on silence for entire days. We were unable to speak to one another, even during meals. How does one ask for the salt to be passed when you are unable to speak?
   • Male students being kept up late (between 11 and 1am) to learn a song (Stout hearted men) to sing to the female students. Female students had to learn a similar song and sing it to the male students.
   • All female students were told by your “mentor” that the female uniform was designed in such a way so that it would hide our bodies. Women held a powerful influence over men, and men just can’t help themselves. A woman only need to look at how she was dressed or was behaving if she ever found herself in harms way from a boy. That happened in the Blue Lounge of Murray hall one evening. After this speech, we were forced to chant Chastity and Abstinence over, and over.

   All of these things happened (and more) during your tenure. Some even happened to you. What was the point of those exercises??

   I might suggest that it was these experiences and more that potentially led to the drop of enrolment. To my knowledge, the peak of enrolment was while we were there 1984-1989. I would go further to suggest that perhaps there were some financial concerns as far back as 1987-88 as well as they no longer allowed day students to attend past Grade 6. The boarding students were their bread and butter. Local parents were given the option of having their children attend GCC as a boarding student or find another school.
   The reality of the situation is the bizarreness tapered off with the enrolment. It came to a complete halt after your “mentors” retirement, and the Community of Jesus releasing their grip on the institution.

   As for the apology, let me enlighten you. The person, which he attempted to approach, was one of the people, which had tried to get the Recorder and Times to break the story in 1989. He personally sat in on this person’s “light sessions”. When confronted with the information and his abusiveness towards this student, this was his response:

   “FF told her husband that he could not apologise for any of the abuse because he was not aware of any abuse and that if he had been aware he would have stopped it. any apology would be insincere and any apology would be a lie. As a Christian man of the cloth he could not do that because it would be a lie.”

   It is not my intent to take away your positive experiences you are carrying with you, but as the Alumni President it is your responsibility to represent ALL alumni, not just the ones that had a positive experience. Please refrain from dragging the Alumni Association into this. If you would like to speak as a former student, fine. Speak away. But as an Alumni, I know what went on. I saw the good and the bad. Please don’t speak for me. I know the truth.

8. 8 Bene Diction  on Sep 4th, 2007 at 9:34 am

   The Globe and Mail isn’t letting this go yet.

   When people step forward with legitimate stories of abuse; academic excellence, changes in policy and personnel do not negate the reality that people in power did not speak up.
   Nor does achievement, excellence and positive experiences negate the harm done to kids in God’s name.

   I’m glad to see the newspaper use the word cult: a word that has changed meanings with overuse and a word that should not be used lightly.  Some people working at Grenville were involved in an alternative or new religious group that practised techniques and behaviors that fall under academically accepted use of the word.

   I’m confused about the role (or lack thereof) of the Canadian Anglican Church at Grenville.

9. 9 Jennifer (Glynn) Mason  on Sep 4th, 2007 at 3:41 pm

   I attended GCC for three years. My first attending year was Grade Eight. My sister, who also attended was a year ahead of me. It did not take me (as a youngster at the time) to realize that there was something unsettling about the atmosphere at the school. I quickly realized that many of the staff, who chose the GCC community life, was infact people who if had to, would struggle in the real world for reasons of their personal weaknesses. GCC was an attractive lifestyle to them and was chosen for a reason. They had a new found power over adolescents. A weak individual discovering such authority resulted in a very disturbing environment.
   I experienced the “light session”. This was a common practise, which gathered the entire staff and student population into a chapel where all attending were encouraged to yell at selected individuals until they broke. Often times if the individual resisted this session, they were put on “silence discipline” where they were not allowed to speak to anyone for extended lengths of time. It was a humiliating and degrading experience. I’m told GCC staff in later years offered an apology to currently enrolled students and their families, (after the practise had already ceased). Never did I or my family receive such an explanation or admission of guilt.
   After leaving, following the completion of Grade 10, I was asked to return during the summer for an interview with the headmaster and dean of students. During such interview FF (as previously called in other postings) proceeded to ask me if I was sexually involved with a boy. After replying “no” he told me he did not believe me and stated that I looked like a sleaze who when walking down the street would not be respected by men. This comment (to a 15 year old girl) was made by FF after looking at the dress I was wearing, albeit approved by my parents.
   There were terms used at GCC. Staff would approach students in the hallway to enlighten us that we were not “in the spirit” of things. Never did staff encourage a student if they were having an off day, they would let us know that we were not with Jesus.
   Rock music was banned from the school, the staff warned the students of the subliminal satanic messages in the lyrics.
   One particular experience that I won’t ever forget was the constant reminder that my sister was intellectually gifted, and therefore, I must be jealous of her. Staff tried to intimidate me and would force me to admit that I must be jealous. I am glad to say that not one staff member ever triumphed over me, I was always able to differentiate negative reinforcement from positive and thankfully my relationship with my sister was never marred.

10. 10 LD  on Sep 5th, 2007 at 7:03 am

    Dear Lisa,
    I vividly remember that day Charles Farnsworth, called everyone to the diningroom and pulled students up to the raised platform (where that arrogant man would sit pearched above everyone and eat his meal with special linens, flatware, dishes….) to yell at them about what bad people they were. He and his staff, who in my opinion are just as guilty, would yell at these students until they were in tears and then make them sit down by themselves. Nobody would confort them, they had no family to get support from — how can ANY adult do that to a child?? It has always bothered me for years and so often I have relived that day in my mind, knowing what I know now.
    I also question the truth behind the statement from the former headmaster, Mintz — that he thought the allegations were without foundation – I believe that’s a lie. He was there for many, many years before he became headmaster. He came to the school near my final years — guessing around ‘82 or ‘83. In my opinion, he was exposed to all of these ‘truths’.
    I think that the teachers who taught under this regime should never be able to teach again!!!!
    I know that Leona Helmsley, the hotelier from New York, got the title of the “Queen of Mean” but there were MANY nasty, nasty teachers there. I would love to see a list of the top 10 meanest female and male teachers….

11. 11 pe  on Sep 5th, 2007 at 4:33 pm

    Thank you lisa and LD
    I attended gcc for three years from 84-87
    I believe every allegation certainly did happen and was witness to some. As someone said before, academic excellence does not excuse abuse. I beleive some students were not aware of what it was like for us “bad kids” or what it was like for staff kids. I am hearing stories that have filled in a few blanks “what ever happened to …….?” well now we know. Please give these allegations merit, regardless of peoples opinions of who they are coming from, and hold these people, Farnsworth especially, accountable. Thanks

12. 12 SB  on Sep 5th, 2007 at 5:55 pm

    Dear Robert Creighton,

    I read your post and I really took issue with the following statement, “PS. I make statments about “the vast majority” and “most students”… I can make those statements because I have been closely involved with the GCC Alumni network of people in the GCC Alumni Association and have had hundreds of emails and Facebook notes that support those statements.”

    Lisa is right. As Alumnae president, you should represent *all* alumnae, not just those the school would be happy to have quoted publicly.

    If your impression that the “vast” majority of student had positive experiences at GCC is based on the letters you’ve received, you should ask yourself if you think unhappy graduates would even bother registering with the alumnae association?

    I, for one, never bothered registering because I never saw the names on there of any of the people I was close to, many of whom had negative experiences or were intelligent enough to know a mindcontrolling cult when they saw one (and not to wish to keep up with it).

    Also, let’s not forget that while the staff were dedicated and really did take academics and extra curriculars to a whole new level, that is what parents were paying them enormous sums of money to do! While the staff may not have received high salaries, it doesn’t matter. That was there choice and the school certainly charged them more than enough tuition.

    And, let’s not forget that other private schools, such as Branksome Hall, are rated more highly than Grenville. Branksome was voted the top school in Ontario by (I think?) the Ontario board of education or something like that.

    Grenville being good at it what people were paying it to do (academics, etc) does not negate the damage they did in other areas, which, btw, were by no means what most parents enrolled there students there for.

13. 13 Carole  on Sep 5th, 2007 at 11:42 pm

    As a parent of a GCC student from 89-92, I am shaken and shocked about what I have learned in the last few hours.

    My son emailed me today with the news of GCC’s closure and he said “I told you this was going on” but I always put it down to teen exaggeration. He had told me stories of his (CofJ) friend being taken to the boiler room and told he would burn in the fires of hell like those in the boiler. It was beyond my scope of belief that these things could be happening in such a fine school. Who would tell a 14 year old that they were so wicked that they would burn in hell? They (the children) weren’t murderers after all.

    15 years later we are not so naiive. I tried to explain to him tonight that it was a different world then; today we would lend so much more credence to our children telling us such stories. What a sad reflection that is on our society.

    I can add my own story to all these.

    While my son was at GCC, his grandmother was dying of cancer. We had her at home and the end was close. A week before she died, I was awoken by a noise at 5:30am on a Sunday morning. I got out of bed and checked Mum’s room and then my father’s. His bed was empty. I went to the top of the stairs and saw him unconscious at the bottom, having had a massive heart attack. I was alone in the house with two critically ill people. I called a friend who was an intensive care nurse and she accompanied my father to hospital. Later in the day I called FF and told him I needed my son home for a day or two, since it was entirely likely both my parents would die in the next hours or days. He told me I was over-reacting, that he was sure it was not that bad……I was almost speechless but somewhat numbed by what I was dealing with, and it was beyond me to respond as I should have. I insisted I needed him home and told him someone would pick my son up in a few hours. The next day my mother suffered a major crisis and I called a priest to administer last rights for her, thinking that this was the end. My son and I shared communion and shortly after, a friend drove him back to GCC. I cannot even imagine how that must have affected him…he was 14. My friend asked to see FF when they arrived and she told him in no uncertain terms that I was certainly not over-reacting and that his behaviour towards me was unforgiveable.

    If this arrogant man could behave thus towards me, a woman in her 40’s, a professional, single parent, why is it so hard for people to believe how he treated our children?

    My son experienced “D” for two weeks for swearing at another student. I had to write letters to get the stupidity halted. It was assinine, especially since he was a normally well behaved student, though likely high spirited.

    I have told him to start documenting his memories of life at GCC…we will be interested in possibly joining a class action suit, should one be started. I now wonder to what extent this environment might have affected later difficulties in his life. Now aged 30, he is a wonderful man but still full of insecurities that leave me wondering if they are routed in his life at GCC and what he experienced and witnessed there.

14. 14 Bene Diction  on Sep 6th, 2007 at 12:56 am

    Carole:

    I am so very sorry. Shock and anger are normal healthy responses when we realize that our good intentions lead to our own minimalizations, rationalizations and denial. I am so sorry for your troubles and losses at the time your son was at the school.

    I am so sorry for what your son has been through, he is fortunate you hear him and listen. Some of the students will never have that support from their familes.

    The kids that went through this abuse are now adults. Help is available. And in healing, practical steps toward justice and restitution and self-forgiveness, and for some, other forgiveness will happen, for each one in their own time.

    Parents and former students can and are helping each other and I can appreciate how fragile trust is, how real fear is, how deep the shame and guilt has wounded.

    Thank you for your courage and your honesty.

    All of you will be in my prayers, and if there is anything I can do to assist at this blog, please ask.

15. 15 JON CONNOR  on Sep 6th, 2007 at 4:23 am

    Rob;

    i was in your section the first long year i was at the school. You were clearly on the side of the staff, you looked , felt and wanted to be a staff member. i could see you were one of those people that agreed with what was going on. You were never one to be on the bad side of FF due to the way you conducted yourself, and that is fine if you want to live like that. For the people that came to GCC and felt like they were being pushed to do things they did not feel content doing , they were picked out of the crowd. This leads me to why i finally stood up to all the staff including FF and said enough is enough. They were poking their noses into things that were none of their buisness. they pushed the envelope and now need to deal with what they have done to each and every one of us. maybe some like yourself stands strong to have attended GCC because you feel it was your best shot, but others like myself feel it did more harm than good. I was at the school to learn and advance, instead i had to deal with every right wing religious person up the St. Lawrence river !!! I can say one thing, FF is gone and the rest of the staff that put a number of us through these troubled times has moved on. Most of the male staff members felt they were above everyone their and could conduct themselves in a way that is now not going to be looked at in a good way when people speak out. Their lives are their own punishment !! Deal with it !!

16. 16 joseph  on Sep 6th, 2007 at 8:46 am

    This thread has brought back memories of a friend who attended GCC back in the mid 80’s. I think I might understand a few things more clearly now.

    I would have thought the Anglican church could have at least learned a few lessons from the aboriginal residential schools nightmare. Whether or not the diocese had any legal or canonical connection to the school as an “institution”, the bishop has oversight of the clergy in his/her diocese. I wonder how much “oversight” was exercised by the bishop over the headmaster?

17. 17 Bene Diction  on Sep 6th, 2007 at 9:43 am

    That’s an excellent question Joseph, and as I mentioned above I’m confused. Here is what the current Anglican Bishop is saying:

    “The incorporated synod [governing body] of the Diocese of Ontario has at no time had any contractual or de facto responsibility or control over the operations of Grenville Christian College.

    “Grenville Christian College is operated by its own board of directors as a non-profit charitable benevolent religious corporation.

    “The diocese has occasionally, at the invitation of the college leadership, provided clergy (including bishops) to officiate at regular services of worship.”

    Another bishop Peter Mason was asked to advise staff in 2001 on psychological trauma and says he wasn’t aware students were abused.

    I don’t see that any lessons have been learned.

18. 18 Karine  on Sep 7th, 2007 at 11:25 am

    I spent 4 3/4 years at GCC (in the mid to late 80s)and left in March of my 11th year because I had had enough. I am grateful to my parents for listening to me when I told them I was no longer happy at the school and allowing me to leave before I finished my 11th year. Despite being able to leave at will, I had nightmares about being sent back to Grenville for 16 years!! I am not sure what made my nightmares end but I suspect it was largely due to facing my horrible memories and putting them to rest.

    I am glad for Bob C. that he can look back on his experience at Grenville as a positive one (and as I have met up with Bob in New York City, where he and I both live, on a few occasions I do believe he genuinely feels that GCC was a good experience for him.) I cannot same the same. I appreciate some of the values I was taught there, I was involved in some great extracurricular activities that are an asset to me to this day, and there are definitely a few staff members of whom I have fond memories. But if I could go back in time, I would NOT have attended Grenville.

    I have not stepped on the GCC campus since I attended Graduation the year that I left. I am not sure if I will go to the Closing Ceremony but if I do, I am not looking for any apology from anyone. I know, with steadfast conviction, that a lot of what was done to us students in the name of discipline or correction was “wrong” and for me, that is enough.

19. 19 David Shepherd  on Sep 8th, 2007 at 8:04 pm

    It sound like the 80s were not an improvement on the late 70’s I was a student for 1 1/2 years at GCC. I have a personal knowledge of the discipline of silence, barn chores, denied access to the chapel as my spirit was too poor to attend, endless mornings washing dishes and pots while everyone was in services being struck on the backside with some wooden object by a staff member while FF sat in his chair and enjoyed the show, being accused of wanting/lusting after girls, light sessions, no right to speak in your own defense. I played Scrooge the christmas I was there and staff came to the actors and said “don’t get too high” within minutes of the end of the play. Being reminded of how evil I was. I was once accused of bringing down the spirit of the entire school. I can say that my grades were very good, but that didn’t make any difference to the staff. The only consolation for me was that the “mothers” from the COJ would come to the school once in a while and do to the staff what they did to us. Misery loves company. Four friends and I used to get together after lunch and share whatever snacks we had got from home or from the weekend trips to town. We were all accused of creating an elitist gang. During the time I was under the discipline of silence I also had to be with a particular prefect. He used to sneak away from the dining hall after meals and I was forced to search the school for him before I was caught away from him. He would also tell me that he was going to take a nap and I would have to sit outside his room until he got up and left. It is ironic that even though I was an evil spirit, as they said so often, there was no issue with me being left in the town alone to attend the science fair. I have spoken to several other students that were there at the same time and have heard about nightmares, and lots of trouble reorienting to the real world. I do not say a majority or most, I don’t have and never collected stats on who liked and who disliked GCC. There was a student song about getting away for the summer indicating “days of misery, in this penetentary” We all knew the words. I have attended a lot of school as my parents traveled, and GCC remains a fixed cold memory.

20. 20 Bene Diction  on Sep 8th, 2007 at 11:16 pm

    You used the term ‘ fixed cold memory’.
    I know what that is like, it’s a way to survive.

    Your experiences are chilling, David.
    It was not your fault, and you did not deserve to be hurt.
    What happened to you was abuse.

21. 21 Anne (Clunis) Clark  on Sep 10th, 2007 at 7:23 am

    Hi all,

    I as well was a former student that acutally was expelled for helping myself to others things. I was not a good kid and can honestly say I am 40 now, with wonderful memories and regrets that I did not make it work for me. I was there in the Greg Hunter days ((Tommy Hunter’s son)). If I remember correctly 1981. I was bad I NEVER saw anyone doing pots for 2 months infact the worst consequence I received I think was three days of pots. I needed that, I made very poor choices and it made me think twice about doing bad things or making wrong choices. Ms. Cxxx /Father Hxxx / and Father F were there when I was there. They treated me with respect always even when I messed up.
    As for pots?? Yes when YOU made a mistake there you had to wash pots one of the older students had to supervise you and no one was allowed to speak with you while you had this consequence. It impacted me positivily.
    I NEVER saw or heard of any abuse allegations while I was there the theme looking back today was “tough love”. This is truly a sin that the school closed because they helped me to change my life. Even up till today I always have told my kids and step children at dinner time they atleast need to have a “thank you helping” even if they don’t like what they are having.
    This whole situtation to me is shocking and truly a sin.
    God bless everyone.

22. 22 Kathleen  on Sep 10th, 2007 at 10:12 pm

    I suffered so many abuses at Grenville “Christian” College that I cannot even begin to detail them all. One that springs to mind is the night I had to sit in a chair in a small darkened room for hours with the window wide open in the middle of winter, wearing only my nightclothes, shivering from the cold. When I closed it, the Dean of Women Judy James came into the room and screamed at me and forced me to open it again. This went on for hours in the middle of the night. It was literally torture. As for Father Farnsworth he is a sick, twisted, sex-obsessed man who has sexually harassed and been guilty of sexual improprieties with a number of people I have communicated with.

23. 23 Maryanne  on Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:30 am

    One of my experiences – It was my senior year and one break after arriving back at the school I was paged to go up to a staff apatment in the dorm where I was asked about a letter I knew about between 2 friends, a boy and a girl. I would mention the names of the 2 people but it was not their fault what happened to me. Because I didn’t “tell on them” I was put on Discipline working in the kitchen and also that I would be suspended and go stay with my sister who agreed with my punishment. After 3 days of eating meals in the panty with a prefect to watch over me I was then advised that they could not contact my sister and I would be spending the rest of my discipline at the school. I continued to eat in the pantry, I could not attend school, I was stripped of my student leader pin in the front of the whole school and ordered to be silent for my discipline time (to make the story short). Meanwhile my family was trying to get a hold of me but were not allowed through to speak to me. After several days, yes, several days I was finally able to take a phone call from my sister who didn’t know anything about what was happening to me. She contacted my parents over seas who pretty well took the next flight out to Canada to find out what was happening to me. Also, the 2 people who were involved with the letter writing were only given 3 days suspension and probably had the time of their life! Because I could not attend classes I failed 2 courses and was limited to the choices of Universities I could attend. When my parents did come they wanted an explanation and an apology but it never happened. For years after this orderal, my father still apologized to me for sending me there. I still have a very difficult time trusting people which is why I have very few friends, I withdrew into my self for years and was very depressed for a very long time. My brothers and sister were there for me in every way possible and I slowly came out of my shell. I made very few friends at GCC but only kept in touch with one as he was a really true friend of mine. Until recently I’m getting intouch with some other of the “good ones”. However, it sure has been bringing back so many memories and I wish I could say the memories were good ones. I’m hoping this will put closure on my ordeal. There are other stories but the above had the biggest impact on my life.

24. 24 Karen (Mackay) Frennette  on Sep 11th, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    I attended GCC for one year 79/80 for my grade 10 year. I remember telling my parents that it was a cult and to get me out of here. They too put it down to teen exaggeration and forced me to finish the year. But they did allow me to change schools the following year. Thank God.
    I remember “light sessions” and students being put on “D”. I also remember being forced into a weight watchers group even though I didn’t want to. I was told that glutony was a sin and publicly embarrased at the supper table if I ate more than Mr. Ortolani thought was appropriate. Looking back as an Adult at pictures of myself, I may have been 10 pounds overweight, if that. That year warped my self image for the remainder of my teen years and well into my 20’s. My story is minor compared to many I have read in blogs over the last couple of days, but I felt compelled to add it. One more former GCC student who remembers the unhealthy and publicly abusive environment we lived in.
    Karen

25. 25 Anne Clark (again)  on Sep 18th, 2007 at 11:36 am

    Hey go figure … here I’m defending the place and I’m having my own memories come back. I remember the “D” table. I remember being sent to a shrink and couldn’t even tell them the right year.
    I remember the phone calls home and Ms. Case would stand right behind me (no privacy) crying to my parents telling them I want to go home. I remember pretending to be someone I wasn’t just so I wouldn’t get in trouble again.

    Can’t wait to see what comes next …

    Anne

26. 26 Bene Diction  on Sep 18th, 2007 at 11:46 am

    Well the class action lawsuit lawyer has received one thousand submissions.

    “Bishop George Bruce, who heads the diocese in which the now-closed school is located, has interviewed or scheduled interviews so far with nearly 20 former students and will continue his investigation at least until the end of this month.

    He has told former students he is taking their allegations “very seriously” and that he will keep his investigation open until everyone who wants to be heard is heard.

    Bishop Bruce recently ordered Mr. Farnsworth to stop going door to door in Brockville handing out cards asking for people’s prayers. This week, the bishop began receiving allegations of sexual misconduct by the now-retired priest, and he is looking into complaints of abuse perpetrated by lay staff members that may have been done with Mr. Farnsworth’s knowledge or approval.”

    Depending on the investigation goes he may convene an ecclesiastical court. As well other teachers are being named if they are under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Church of Canada, they will be investigated also.

    http://tinyurl.com/265ckh

27. 27 Laurie Bartman  on Sep 18th, 2007 at 9:43 pm

    Good day my name is Laurie Bartman ,I was reding through some of the stories and cught off guard found one of my formal childhood friend/neighbour ID#21 Anne (Clunis) Clark who I would love to get in contack with if you could either forward her my contack information to her . My e:mail : xxx I also attended GCC several years later since Anne’s parents had good things to report about GCC. We lost contact when my parents seperated. This would be wonderful if you could help me get in contack with Anne

    Thank You
    Laurie

    Hi Laurie: I removed your personal information for your protection and have emailed you and Mrs. Clark with the information. BD

28. 28 Anne (Clunis) Clark  on Sep 19th, 2007 at 11:39 am

    OMG thank you so much for forwarding Lauries information to me. Will be nice to exchange stories and get in touch . See good things can come from misery.

29. 29 BD  on Sep 19th, 2007 at 3:11 pm

    Good can come out of misery – I’m glad this blog post was able to help rekindle a friendship.
    Take care of each other.

30. 30 jess  on Sep 23rd, 2007 at 5:10 pm

    hi umm…yea i went to gcc the past two years and was bout to go back this year again..and i was acctually looking forward to it..i dunno wat happend a long time ago but…ff was a good man as long as ive known him..he was the best. i now that grenville closing down wasnt anyones fault. but students that were gonna go back this year are kinda sad it closed

31. 31 Chantal Yurt  on Sep 24th, 2007 at 11:16 am

    Wow, reading everyone stories brings back many memories of GCC. It’s like reading my own story. I would like if someone sent more info on the class action suit against the school.

    Hi Chantal: The information on the collection of information on a possible class action suit can be found here. BD

32. 32 GW  on Oct 1st, 2007 at 9:54 pm

    I may not be able to recite the bible word for word or even book by book but I know when something is wrong.
    As a former member of the ACC( i am now athiest), I am sicked and appalled by the method of torture used by teachers and Religious leaders. As ex military I recognize these psychological attacks. These DO NOT help a young child grow up to be a caring well adjusted member of our society.
    The mental and physical attacks are designed to break down a person’s defenses so he/she can be made to what ever the torturer wants them to do.
    What this breaks down to plain and simple is a CULT. Controlled by people who were trusted by parents to look after their childs best interests.
    As a father i really feel for the parents, who’s job it is to protect their children. I hope that everyone involved gets punished to the full extent of the law and then more.
    As for the rest of the religious idiots out there who are blind and deaf and mute to the horrors of the church, and basically any religion, the problems they cause to the whole world. Wake up!!!! Use your head for something other than a place to put your hat. You are part of the problem….

1. 1 The Anglican Church - again at Bene Diction Blogs On Pingback on Sep 6th, 2007 at 1:05 am
2. 2 Grenville Christian College - The Canadian Anglican Church responds at Bene Diction Blogs On Pingback on Sep 7th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
3. 3 Grenville Christian College - the investigation widens - OPP at Bene Diction Blogs On Pingback on Sep 24th, 2007 at 1:45 pm