Grenville Christian College

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Co-ed private boarding/day school in Maitland, Ontario, Canada

Grenville Christian College

Location

Maitland

Ontario

Canada

Information
School type| Co-ed Private Boarding/Day
Religious affiliation(s)| Anglican Diocese of Ontario and Community of Jesus See also Community of Jesus.
Opened| 1973
Closed| 2007
Enrollment| 0
Language| English
Campus| rural Ontario setting

Grenville Christian College is a former private boarding school located in the rural community of Maitland, some 8 km (5 mi) northeast of Brockville, Ontario, on the bank of the St. Lawrence River. "[1]

The independent university preparatory school was composed of upper, middle, elementary and primary schools. Students had the option of being day students, full-time boarders or weekday boarders.

## History

[edit]

The campus was built in 1918 as St. Mary's College, a preparatory school run by the Redemptorist Order of the Roman Catholic Church. St. Mary's College operated until 1968.[2]

The St. Mary's College campus was purchased in 1969 by a group called Berean Christian Schools, who envisioned using the facility for training missionaries. Although the exact time line is unclear, Berean Christian Schools began as a private school in 1969 and was renamed Grenville Christian College in 1973.

After 37 years, Grenville Christian College announced its closure on July 30, 2007, citing declining enrollment and unspecified financial pressures.[3] A "Closing Celebration Weekend" was held on the weekend of September 29–30, 2007.[4]

## Abuse allegations and lawsuits

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The school is noted for having ties to the Community of Jesus, a controversial Benedictine sect in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.[5] Grenville's co-founders were all members of the Community of Jesus, including pastors Betty and Charles Farnsworth, the latter of whom also served as headmaster, and fellow headmaster J. Alastair Haig and his wife, Mary Florence Mollard Haig.[6] Described as a cult, its influence became central to a successful 2006 class-action lawsuit against the school.[7]

In 1993, WCVB-TV (based in Boston, Massachusetts) aired a two night Chronicle special on the Community of Jesus, which mentioned that parents in the group sent their child to this school. "When he escaped and confronted his family, they told him either go back or we'll disown you."[8]

CTV Television Network broadcast a documentary on February 6, 2016, in tandem with the launch of the book, Grenville, by Andrew J. Hale-Byrne, which highlighted the close relationship between the college and the Anglican Diocese of Ontario, and announced that the Ontario Provincial Police investigation into abuse of students has been reopened. Toronto Star followed up this reporting on February 29, 2016, wherein students reported that they had been punched in the groin and urinated on by staff, among other abuses mentioned.[9][10][7][11] The Ontario Provincial Police criminal investigation into abuse by former staff is ongoing. The Crown laid their first charges on October 6, 2016, for sexual assault. Robert Farnsworth, son of the founding family, was arrested on October 5, 2016, but was later cleared of the allegations.[12]

Previously, there had been allegations of student abuse and cult practices at the school that were ultimately dismissed by the Anglican Diocese of Ontario.[13][14][15] The church went on record rejecting calls to investigate of misconduct complaints against school officials due to the OPP Investigation, but the church considered the possibility of sanctioning an ordained minister who was headmaster of the College for two decades.[16] [17][18][19] In September 2007, the Ontario Provincial Police began investigating two former headmasters who were also Anglican priests.[20] The chair of the school's Board of Directors and the Bishop of the Diocese of Ontario denied that the school was ever formally affiliated with the Anglican Church of Canada. Anglican priests and bishops, had often officiated at the school's chapel services, as did representatives of other denominations. The school chose to fly the Anglican flag.[21]

Since the school's closing, some former students have claimed punishments by silence and separation ("Discipline"), a form of internal suspension, as well as being woken in the middle of the night by having bright light shone in their faces and being interrogated about their alleged "sins".[13] The former co-publisher of a local newspaper, The Recorder & Times, has stated that his newspaper became aware of allegations of religious cult practices at Grenville Christian College in the late 1980s, but was unable to convince anyone to publicize the story. The paper was also threatened with libel action by a Bay Street law firm.[22][23]

In 2007, the acting chairman of the school's Board of Directors formally apologized to students who felt they had been abused at any time in the school's history.[24][25] That same year, former students filed a class action lawsuit against Grenville, its principals, Farnsworth and Haig, and the Diocese of Ontario, claiming abuse of students.[26][27] A second amended lawsuit was filed in January 2008.[28]

In November 2008, following an investigation, the Ontario Provincial Police announced that there would be no charges laid involving the historical abuse allegations.[29]

In 2012, Justice Perell dismissed all the claims against the Diocese, holding that "Grenville Christian College was the enterprise of Fathers Haig and Farnsworth, and the Diocese ... had no power or control or legal right to intervene in the operation of the school". The action as against Grenville, Farnsworth and Haig was allowed to proceed.

In February 2020, after a trial that spanned two months, former students won their class action lawsuit against the college, which was ordered to pay punitive damages.[30]

In 2021, The CBC Television program The Fifth Estate aired a documentary on the school and the abuse allegations, as well as airing another documentary the following year with new allegations.[31][32]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Mothers of invention". The Globe and Mail. 2007-10-06. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
2. ^ St. Mary's College alumni. "History of St. Mary's College". Retrieved 2007-09-07.
3. ^ Grenville Christian College (2007-07-30). "Grenville Christian College to Close". Archived from the original on 2007-09-15. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
4. ^ Grenville Christian College (August 2007). "Alumni Events: Closing Celebration Weekend September 29-30th, 2007". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
5. ^ Mulder, John M.; Coalter, Milton J.; Weeks, Louis B. (1992-01-01). The Organizational Revolution: Presbyterians and American Denominationalism. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-25197-0.
6. ^ "Former students win class-action against Grenville Christian College". cbc.ca. CBC. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
7. ^ a b "Former Grenville Christian College students tell harrowing stories of abuse". The Star. 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
8. ^ TruthIsVictory (2008-08-06). Community or Cult? [part 2-1]. Retrieved 2024-10-07 – via YouTube.
9. ^ "Former students allege psychological, physical and sexual abuse at Ont. Christian school". ctvnews.ca. 2016-02-06. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
10. ^ Hale-Byrne, Andrew J. (6 February 2016). Amazon.com: Grenville (9781523880058): Andrew J. Hale-Byrne. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1523880058.
11. ^ "The Drew Marshall Show Weekly Update | Season 13 #28". us2.campaign-archive1.com. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
12. ^ "Son of late Grenville headmaster arrested for sex assault". The Star. 2016-10-07. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
13. ^ a b Globe & Mail staff (August 2007). "Dark past behind school's demise". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on 2008-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
14. ^ Ottawa Citizen (2007-09-08). "Anglican school's former students tell of brainwashing, abuse". Archived from the original on 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
15. ^ The Recorder & Times (September 2007). "A tale of two GCC students: Strict discipline had different impact". Retrieved 2007-09-08.[permanent dead link]
16. ^ Globe & Mail (2007-09-06). "Anglican bishop rejects ex-student's plea to investigate abuse claims". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
17. ^ Globe & Mail (2007-09-07). "Anglicans weigh sanctions against priest". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
18. ^ The Recorder & Times (September 2007). "Local bishop to meet with former students". Retrieved 2007-09-08.[permanent dead link]
19. ^ The Recorder & Times (September 2007). "Farnsworth reaching out to ex-students 'Whatever happened on my watch, I just have to take responsibility.'". Retrieved 2007-09-08.[permanent dead link]
20. ^ The Globe and Mail (September 2007). "OPP open investigation into Grenville abuse claims". Toronto. Retrieved 2007-09-27.[permanent dead link]
21. ^ Anglican Journal (September 2007). "Church denies that closed, controversial school was Anglican". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
22. ^ Globe & Mail (2007-09-01). "Brockville's local paper was advised not to publish abuse allegations". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on 2008-09-27. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
23. ^ Globe & Mail (2007-09-04). "Born into abusive grip of a cult". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on 2008-09-27. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
24. ^ The Recorder & Times (September 2007). "GCC answering abuse allegations". Retrieved 2007-09-06.[permanent dead link]
25. ^ CBC (2007-09-07). "Grenville Christian College chair apologizes for abuse". CBC News. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
26. ^ The Globe & Mail (2007-11-06). "Former students suing Grenville". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
27. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-18. Retrieved 2009-03-18.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
28. ^ Ottawa Citizen (2008-01-17). Former Grenville Christian College students launch $200M class-action suit Archived 2016-03-24 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 2010-01-25.
29. ^ Ottawa Citizen (2008-11-25). No charges in Grenville Christian College investigation, OPP says Archived 2012-09-08 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 2010-01-25.
30. ^ Lowrie, Wayne (2020-02-28). "Ex-students win suit against former Grenville Christian College in Brockville for physical abuse". Ottawa Citizen.
31. ^ The Fifth Estate (2021-11-11). Ontario school with history of abuse linked to U.S.-based cult | School of secrets. Retrieved 2024-10-07 – via YouTube.
32. ^ The Fifth Estate (2022-01-20). New abuse revelations at U.S.-based cult tied to Ontario private school | School of secrets. Retrieved 2024-10-07 – via YouTube.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grenville Christian College.

44°37′36″N 75°37′49″W﻿ / ﻿44.62667°N 75.63028°W﻿ / 44.62667; -75.63028