View Single Post
  #7  
Old July 21st 14, 04:12 AM posted to rec.aviation.misc
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Anyone know what happened to Sky Life Flying Camp?

On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 4:08:13 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Here is a link to a recent New York Times article on the Hackley School where Lee Barnes used to work prior to his founding Sky Like Flying Club.



http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/02/21...html?referrer=


In 1969, when I was 15, I learned about the Sky Life Flying Club from a friend at Horace Greeley High School and was interested because I wanted to learn to fly. The first time I went to the house in Mt. Kisco, NY, Lee Barnes called me to his office, closed the door, and told me I would have to do "calisthenics in the nude" for him if I wanted to join the club. He wanted me to completely strip and do jumping jacks. I knew immediately what he was and what he was trying to do. When I refused, he tried every way he could to convince me to do it, to the point where I became very frightened because he was getting more and more frustrated and angry. I remember I kept thinking, "Where's my father? Why isn't he here yet to pick me up?" My father finally arrived and we immediately left. I told my father what happened and he called the Westchester County DA. My father told me the DA took some action that resulted in the club shutting down and Barnes and the rest leaving the area.

A friend of mine who ended up joining the club said that during his initiation he and the other "first timers" had to completely strip and run around as others shot water guns at them.

I remember the club had boys from NYC who would stay the weekend at the house. I can only imagine what might have occurred during those sleepovers.

I've always regretted not pushing my father to do more, but I think when the DA told my father what would be required of me, he thought it was in my best interests to take no further action. Who knows how many other boys had to suffer because of that decision.

I actually forgot Barnes' name, but I've been searching the Internet for years looking for Sky Life Flying Club in hopes this would finally surface. I'm glad it finally has. If I had remembered Barnes' name, I would have confronted him long ago (as an adult) and made sure he was not hurting any more boys. Apparently, at least according to the NY Times article, he's now dead. If that's in fact the case, I'm glad he's no longer alive to victimize others. If he's still alive, I would like to know where he lives.