As I said, the Ruth Home of Compassion was at least open until 1985 when I left there. 'Aunt Dot and Uncle Bert' may have had legal trouble in 1983, but not to the point it was closed that year. The girls who were there when i got there were Susie and Tika, Aunt Dot's right and left arms, and many others. Here are the ones I remember: Lorraine, two named Kathy (or Cathy), Samantha and that's about all I can remember. Of course, Colleen lived in the house next to the 'home'.
I remember Samantha well. And Susie, as she was mannered very much like a pit bull, and given free reign to cause us agony.
The girls who went there were, for the most part, broken before they ever showed up at the door. But being there had a way of making one's spirit crumble because of the treatment. Once I left, I had nightmares for months, waking up in horror, thinking I was still there. It was a confinement not only from the outside world, but a prison of fear. Not allowed to talk to each other except 'yes maam' to the group leader, not allowed to shower except once a week, three squares of toilet paper for 'number 1', six squares of toilet paper for 'number 2'. Timed showers (was it two or three minutes?), on our knees sweeping or scrubbing carpet, not allowed to eat on Wednesdays, having to eat cereal with weevils in it or get beat, and forced to go into God's house, of all places and pretend things were fine.
Who could forget the lie we had to sing? "I'm glad to be a Ruth HOme Girl, there's no other I'd rather be, living a life for Jesus, with my happy family, we are taught about the Bible, cause we know that's the only way, So I'm glad to be at the Ruth Home today....."
Now let me emphasize here....God is Holy, Sovreign, Creator, Ruler, AND God is love, something we were NEVER taught there. God loved each one of us before we were born, and loves us still. Why did He allow those people to hurt and abuse us? I don't know. But He LOVES us Ruth Home Girls.