Wallace

This is an action by which the plaintiff, an 11-year-old girl, sued the defendant, Renee Der-Ohanian, also known as Renee K. Arakelian, doing business as Happy Valley Ranch, operator of a camp for children, for injuries and damages sustained by her through sexual abuse by an unknown person when she was a visitor at the camp.

Mrs. Der-Ohanian, born in Armenian Turkey, was brought to New York in 1929 by a missionary and educated at Columbia University; she is a registered nurse; she has children of her own and has had long experience in conducting children’s camps and schools. In August 1956, she opened a summer school or camp on her ranch. In the first year 12 children attended ; in the following year 42 were present at the camp; and in 1958 the total attendance was 82. The school was conducted by Mrs. Der-Ohanian, assisted by male and female counselors. The activities consisted principally of art and crafts classes, singing, folk dancing, swimming and instruction in -the Armenian language and culture. The school was nondenominational, and the average age of the children who attended was 10 to 12 years.

The plaintiff, Triss Wallace, had attended the school for a time earlier in…