MK forum

Raz and Bolivian MK

There was abuse in the 1960 also. I can't go beyond that since I left in the early 70's I believe it was on going

The timing I am aware of is ...

Rich Hine was sent back to England (without even alerting his home church why) during the 1990-1991 school year.

During the 1990-1991 school year it was reported to the field committee that the then principal was paddling kids with a wooden paddle 15-20 swats at a time, until they were bruised up and down the back of their legs and buttocks, even for minor offenses. A discipline/paddling policy had to be put in place to prevent this kind of physical abuse going forward.

Another man who had been a long time teacher at Tambo was removed from the mission while he was on furlough during the 1991-1992 school year. Nothing was told to the student body and we were told not to ask about it. He was removed based on something that happened with another adult male, but there were rumors of abuse of students going back decades.

Some time in the several years before Rich Hine was removed, there was a female teacher removed for an inappropriate relationship with a high school boy. This was only a rumor I heard from other students, but supposedly she sleeping with him and they got caught. If it happened, it was before I was there - but all of the high school students knew about it when I was a student.

I'm still following the conversation ... there just hasn't been much to respond to lately. : )

I didn't know about IHART - when did this begin? Are they searching out students or waiting for people to come to them as they hear about it?

Thank you for reiterating that timeline.
With some new comments.
The teacher with the hs boy is fact. We were there at the time.
Funny that a student (you) had more inside info than we did as parents.
Not funny.
Horrendous.

What is shocking to me is that in the span of a few years while I was there, there were multiple sexual predators/offenders. In addition, there was one in Paraguay during those same years. For years I thought it was a bizarre coincidence that so much happened in a small period of time; it's heartbreaking to see now it was a pattern for decades.

Tambo MK, I have refreshed the thread "Future Investigations" under Miscellaneous, so you can read about IHART.

Also, under Vianopolis, see the "Irritable and Angry" and "Investigation" threads.

The IHART team is working on Vianopolis first. I have not been able to learn much about how that investigation is going. From Tow Mater I've read hints that there hasn't been an enthusiastic response to IHART's attempts to get Via survivors to tell them (specifically the postal inspector ) their story.

I think at this point a lot of MKs have lost confidence in the process and are unsure about how much to participate.

Eventually it is supposed to be Bolivia's turn. But I know you can also go ahead and contact Pat Hendrix now, if you wish. DBarney has already been in touch with her and has good things to say about her.

Yes, Pat is wonderful to communicate with and to talk to. She is very encouraging and concerned about all of us and can't wait to get the investigations for every school started. She is someone you can trust and share your heart with. Thanks Raz

I just found this board and wanted to add my two cents....and I will freely use my name.
I am Julie Ramsey, and was a student at Tambo in 4th, 5th and 6th grade (would have been '87-'90). During that time I was beaten with a yardstick for failing to know my 5 times tables by a math teacher, and beaten with the buckle end of a belt by another teacher for not reciting my verses to her before dinner (I had gone to her house to recite them before dinner, but she had a visitor and told me to come back). I was left with a bruise the size of my upper thigh on my left hip. I finally told the principal about it after another student saw the bruise. No one informed my parents of the abuse, and it was only because the teacher wrote them a letter which I delivered to them when I came home for break (not knowing what was in the letter), that they ever knew about the abuse. That atmosphere at the school during that time was basically suffer in silence. We didn't share our fears or tears with each other.
Although it never became sexual abuse, I did have several instances that were incredibly uncomfortable when one of the administrators at the school would rub my arm during chapel. I remember it hurting because it was being rubbed raw, but not feeling like I could pull my arm away.
I remember hiding behind the little girl's bathroom during piano rehearsal time because I was so afraid of my teacher (Not Miss Foster). She would yell if I didn't know my lessons. I was so relieved when I finally got kicked out of piano for not coming to practice.
Tambo was a place of fun memories too, but for me, the overwhelming feeling there was one of aloneness and hidden fears and loss. I have been back a few times since Tambo was sold (my dad, the director of LATCOM, purchased the facilities) and have seen the wonderful ways that God is using the gorgeous facilities to continue His work. It has been liberating and uplifting to see it in a new way.

I was there the years after you; unfortunately I can guess which teachers you're referring to.

One of the craziest things that happened while I was a student there was that a teacher for 5th-6th grade who was happening a break down and spanking kids for the tiniest offenses (holding a pencil wrong, etc.) all the time was 'dealt with' by the leadership. The solution? She was no longer allowed to spank kids (which was embarrassing for the kids, but not nearly as painful as the solution), she was to send them to the then principal so he could decide whether or not they needed to be spanked. He always decided a spanking was necessary, and he believed in full force, 15-20 swats with a wooden paddle that would leave them bruised all up and down the back of their legs. The solution actually made it worse!

I would like to specify, that while I don't think that yardstick spanking was justified, I don't believe it fell under the term "beating" as the teacher was not overly emotional, or excessive in the spankings. Wrong? Yes. But using the word "beaten" for that instance doesn't quite sit right with me. I apologize for possibly overstating that instance. Reading through these postings has been difficult, and even now, all these years later, it is still difficult to think on my time at Tambo. Writing what I wrote earlier left me shaking, and I hope that by sharing some of what I went through, I can help others deal with their thoughts and feelings about their time at Tambo too.