Title: Women Of A Promiscuous Nature
Author: Donna Everhart
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Genre: Historical Ficition, Literary Fiction
Release Date: 27th January 2026
BLURB
Based on the long-buried history of the American Plan, this powerful and shockingly timely story of resistance and resilience exposes the real government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half of the 20th century.
On a brisk February morning while walking to the diner where she works, 24 year-old Ruth Foster is stopped by the local sheriff. He insists she accompany him to a health clinic, threatening to arrest her if she doesn’t undergo testing in order to preserve decency and prevent the spread of sexual disease.
Though Ruth has never shared more than a chaste kiss with a man, by day’s end she is one of dozens of women held at the State Industrial Farm Colony for Women. Some are there because they were reported for promiscuity by neighbors, husbands, strangers. Some were accused of prostitution. Others were just pretty and unmarried. Or poor and “suspicious.” One was eating dinner alone in a restaurant. Another spoke to a soldier.
Josephine’s sin was running a business as a single woman. Maude’s was trying to drown her sorrows. Frances had lost her mind. Opal married a man with a mean streak. Some, like 15-year-old Stella, are brought in because they’re victims of assault. She’s too naive and broken to understand how unjust this imprisonment is.
Superintendent Dorothy Baker, convinced that she’s transforming degenerate souls into upstanding members of society, oversees the women’s medical treatment and “training” until they’re deemed ready for parole. Sooner or later, everyone at the Colony learns to abide by Mrs. Baker’s rule book or face the consequences—solitary confinement, grueling work assignments, and worse.
But some refuse to be cowed. Some find ways to fight back – at any cost…
REVIEW
I was initially attracted to the cover of this book the image of the woman’s face, the eyes and lips of other faces over it, to me this represents the rights and individual identities taken away from the women. The face and face parts could easily belong to Stella, Ruth, Frances, Lucy, Josephine or any of the other women in the book. The flowers perhaps representing hope for an eventual release from the colony or the flowers at the colony there in an effort to make it look a nice inviting place.
The main characters in the book are Dorothy Baker, Stella Temple and Ruth Frost, though there are many other women in the book too.
We first meet a 30 year old Dorothy Baker working at Samarcand a reform school where she is Superintendant. Dorothy started this job after she caught her husband of less than a year in bed with a younger woman. To an extent Dorothy blames herself for her husband straying because her legs are badly scarred due to her being in a fire when she was younger. The fire that she started when playing with matches because of her fascination with fire. So she works to “reform” these women though to say she is more on a mission to punish this type of promiscuous women perhaps more accurate. When the girls/women under her care at Samarcand revolt, setting a fire which burns the place down she is in disgrace for not managing them better, foreseeing the issue and preventing it.
Her friend Eloise Belle who is a forward-thinking woman and part of the North Caroline Equal Suffrage League has heard of the State Industrial Farm Colony for women in Kinston that is operating the American Plan has a vacancy for a Superintendent. Eloise explains Dorothy would be working with women, there would be no young girls to deal with, the youngest person at the colony [the State Industrial Farm Colony for women in Kinston] would be 17 years old. Eloise explains Dorothy would be working with women, there would be no young girls to deal with, the youngest person at the colony [the State Industrial Farm Colony for women in Kinston] would be 17 years old. An out of work Dorthy Baker who still feels strongly about reforming these “women of loose morals” immediately accepts the job
Though this book is historical fiction the American Plan was a very real government program and these “homes” “reform schools” “colonies” did exist and the conditions in them and the punishments also occurred.
[The American Plan refers to the 1918-1950s US Federal program authorised by the Chamberlain-Kahn Act. This act detained over 30,000 women that they suspected of carrying STIs to combat venereal disease, initially during World War 1.]
Theres a hierarchy and regime in place at the State Industrial Farm Colony for women in Kinston. At the top of the chain of command is Dorothy Baker, she has two Doctors Dr Greene and Dr Grahame that attend the women and perform operations, abortions and sterilisations, along with administering the painful treatments for the Sti’s the women are said to have. Though I’ll be honest I find it extremely difficult to believe all those at the Colony had STI’s. Ruth Frost is just one example of this in my opinion unearned diagnosis. Theres also Nurse Crawford, who is considered a success story of the American Plan, she was in such a place, did what was asked of her, did her time then went on to become a nurse and then to work at the Colony. Then there are the House Mothers – though how they could refer to these women as mothers of any kind is ridiculous. The House Mother of Dorm A, Mrs Maynard is the one we learn most about, she’s envious of Dorothy Bakers job as Superintendent and has friends in high places on the board, so regularly steps out of line knowing it is difficult for Dorothy Baker to reprimand her when she can herself go to the very people that employed Dorothy with her own complaints.
Though the lower age range is supposed to be 17 yrs old there are two exceptions in the book, Frances Platt who is “a whole year older” than Stella who is just 15years old when we first meet her in the book. Stella doesn’t have the best home life, her mother has mental issues and has literally given up meaning she has to do all the household chores that her mother would/should do as well as attend school. Naturally it’s a struggle for Stella, her father does initially take her mother for treatment but it doesn’t seem to work. Stella is often left unfed and uncared for. Stella takes on and does the role of her mother doing the chores around the home without complaint. Then her father begins forcing himself on her, making her fulfil another thing in place of her mother. Poor Stella endures this too, as there isn’t anyone she can complain to. When it is discovered, she is pregnant she is blamed for getting up to no good. She is taken to a doctor to “get fixed” and he suggests she have an operation to solve the issue. When her parents are asked if they agree her father’s response is “hell yeah” Of course he accepts no responsibility, no blame and offers Stella no comfort just allows her to be shipped off to goodness knows where for his secret to be kept and the “issue” dealt with.
Stella arrives at the State Industrial Farm Colony for women in Kinston to be under the “care” of Dorothy Baker and her staff. As Stella arrives at the colony she notices a sign which says “Let the work begin” which I admit gave me an immediate shudder as my mind flitted to the concentration camps in WW2 and the Arbeit macht frei" "Work sets you free” sign as the prisoners entered Auschwitz.
I felt so sorry for Stella she is so accepting to whatever fate is handed to her. Nothing is ever truly explained to her, she is given no choices, she is expected to conform. She has her pregnancy “deal with” an abortion and without her prior knowledge or consent is sterilised so the “issue” doesn’t occur again if/when she is ever sent home. The weird thing is at school Stella wants to fit in, she’s happy enough to help out at home, she is agreeable to her pregnancy being ended especially if it means being away from her father who forces himself on her nightly. When she’s told in a rather nonchalant way that she has been sterilised, her thoughts are that though she would have loved her own family one day, at least if she is sent home her father cannot get her pregnant again!! Stella is eager to please at the Colony, easily coerced into spying on the other women so the house mothers and Superintendent Dorothy Baker can dole out more demerits and punishments.
The other main character is 24 year old Ruth Foster, a single woman who lives alone and works at a local diner, doesn’t have a man in her life, and who has shared nothing more than a kiss at the end of a recent date. Ruth is on her way to work when she is stopped by the Sheriff, she is informed that she must undergo an examination to see if she has any diseases. After trying to ask questions of the Sheriff and being met by the ultimatum you come via your own free will or you will be arrested, Ruth agrees to the examination. It is decided by a Doctor that Ruth has an STI and she must be transferred to the State Industrial Farm Colony for women in Kinston for treatment. Once considered Well enough to be in society she will be allowed to come home. Of course Ruth protests, if she does in fact have an STI why can she not have treatment and stay either in her own home or her mothers home. However the Sheriff and Doctor have an answer and consequence for everything, if she choose not to go to the Colony, which ever address she stays at will be under house arrest – meaning everyone would have to stay isolated for the duration of her treatment and there would be a notice stating why the address was being isolated pinned outside for all to see. Ruth immediately thinks of the possibly shame these options would bring on her mother, despite knowing she has done no wrong and knowing in her heart she has nothing wrong with her, she agrees to go to the Colony. However, once she arrives and is told what is to happen and realises the conditions she will be staying in she asks to leave and then runs, much to the delight and encouragement of some of the women working in the fields around the Colony. The Sheriff is called Ruth is brought back like a criminal in hand cuffs. For this immediate show of resistance and defiance she is put in “meditation” a dark, damp, smelly windowless room in the basement, which has a bed with a thin ratty unwashed blanket & pillow, a dirty, stained sink, a table and chair for use when eating meals and a bucket to be used as a toilet.
Ruth certainly isn’t as malleable or agreeable to regime as some though she is slowly broken down with the debilitating medications given and ever lengthier times in “meditation” though she sticks to her principles no matter the consequences when it comes to refusing to take part in “peer punishments”.
Upon arrival each woman young or old is given a handbook of rules that they must memorise as they can and will be questioned on it later. It is also imperative that they know all the rules so they can at least attempt to avoid falling foul of the demerit system in place. Demerits can be given for almost anything from not eating everything on your plate at meals to being late to meals, or chapel, to speaking back to housemothers, to not doing something as requested or required or quick enough or well enough. 10 demerits = a punishment, which can be “peer punishment” or “meditation” how many times you were whipped, or how many days you would be put on “meditation” varied and was up to whoever was giving out the punishment.
The type of work the women were expected to do varied between farm work – usually outside no matter what the weather or time of year and housekeeping – which could be in the kitchen or laundry.
I felt so sorry for Stella she is so accepting to whatever fate is handed to her. Nothing is ever truly explained to her, she is given no choices, she is expected to conform. She has her pregnancy “deal with” an abortion and without her prior knowledge or consent is sterilised so the “issue” doesn’t occur again if/when she is ever sent home. The weird thing is at school Stella wants to fit in, she’s happy enough to help out at home, she is agreeable to her pregnancy being ended especially if it means being away from her father who forces himself on her nightly. When she’s told in a rather nonchalant way that she has been sterilised, her thoughts are that though she would have loved her own family one day, at least if she is sent home her father cannot get her pregnant again!! Stella is eager to please at the Colony, easily coerced into spying on the other women so the house mothers and Superintendent Dorothy Baker can dole out more demerits and punishments.
I honestly didn’t know what to make of Nurse Crawford, who is considered a success story of the American Plan, she was in such a place, did what was asked of her, did her time then went on to become a nurse and then to work at the Colony. How can she work in such a place, condone the treatment and punishments given to the women. There are times when she shows she is caring, smuggling food to Ruth so she can keep up her strength, but she is also complicit in the degrading treatment of the women and the medical procedures and medications they are given. At one point she is even present a force feeding ordered by one of the Doctors. Which is course had me drawing similarities to the government ordering force feeding of the suffragettes when they were imprisoned. In fact, it made me wonder how many would be suffragettes found themselves imprisoned in places like the Colony for having supposed “diseases” it would certainly be a quick way to shut someone up.
There were points where I felt sorry for Dorothy Baker, as a child fascinated by literally playing with fire, she manages to escape with badly burnt legs. Her family treat her as an outcast and on her wedding night the sight of her burnt legs seems to repulse her new husband so she blames herself for her husband not being attracted to her and having flings and affairs with other women. So when Dorothy ends up working to reform the type of woman she caught in bed with her husband she eagerly thinks up what she considers suitable punishments such as “meditation” “peer punishment/beatings” I can’t help wondering if Dorothy was just intent on getting continuing revenge on women similar to those her ex-husband chose over her….Did she at least on some level ever think what she was doing was wrong, or was she somehow so brainwashed by the system that she blindly believed in it.
I took an instant dislike to Mrs Maynard – House Mother of Dorm A who enjoys giving out demerits and does so at any slight and every opportunity. She also relishes the “peer punishments” where the women is held down by her peers and whipped as many times as the housemother sees fit. There’s one particular scene in the book that leaves you in no doubt that Mrs Maynard is getting a kind of perverse pleasure in controlling and watching such events. I guess you should wonder perhaps what had happened in Mrs Maynards life that turned her into such a cruel woman.
It’s surprising that Dorothy Baker and Mrs Maynard didn’t get on better. Though perhaps Mrs Maynard being a “Mrs” looked down on Dorothy Baker as she was divorced and it was no secret that she coveted the position that Dorothy Baker held. One thing I think I can say for sure is the treatment of the women would have been no better with her at the helm, in fact I think it would have been worse.
The book isn’t all doom, gloom and punishments there are different points of humour, consistent escapee Lucy Griffin, a prostitute and unashamed of the fact provides multiple instances of humour, the manner in which she speaks such as the way she first meets Stella Lucy comments “Ain’t you a sweet little thang. Well, Daffodil, I do love innocence . You’re proof it still exists and hallelujah for that.”
Sadly the comment reminds an already ashamed Stella as to her innocence or lack of.
Stella knows better. She’s ruined, which is why she’s here. Then Lucy speaks to newcomer Stella when the bell rings for supper Lucy singsongs, “Oh, golly gee, Miss Goody! It’s suppertime for you and me!” Or the time she is talking about her prostitution and the services she offers and sees Stella’s face, Lucy comments “Lord, Jesus, help me. Innocent and a prude!
A phrase from the Handmaids Tale omes to mind when I think of the character of Lucy Griffin she would very much have agreed with “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” in fact Lucy escapes, returns and continues to escape the colony.
There is also the way Frances Platt, nicknamed Freaky Frances presumed to be an imbecile, with violent outbursts….but is she an imbecile incapable of understanding….or is she a clever, conniving young girl using the guise and label given to her of being an imbecile to get a little of her own way. It’s true she is a valuable resident to the colony as her parents pay for her to stay there bringing in much needed funds.
Immediate thoughts upon finishing reading were what a disturbing tale set in a dark era. But then you do a little research and find out this isn’t just simply a made up story of pure fiction, this historical fiction book is based on the dark reality of the history of how women were treat. This book is equally fascinating, shocking and horrifying. Its a thought provoking read that will stay with me long after reading its last chapter.
Summing up my final thoughts after reading Women Of A Promicuous Nature were, how on earth was this allowed to happen by those in power….then I thought about it, because those in charge were men and of course it was the women that were the problem. It was the women spreading STIs, not the men sleeping around. It was the women in the Temple household at fault as if Stella’s mother, Alice had been performing her “wifely duties” then Stella’s father Cordell would not have shifted his gaze and attention to his daughter.
Finally, apologies for such a long review, but I really wanted to explore this one and feel like I did it justice. Its not just a book but a slice of history that I honestly hadn’t heard about before reading this book. I highly recommend reading this book we owe it to the women that were the subject of these injustices and endured the horrific treatment, to learn about them, remember them and it should be discussed and debated to make sure such treatment never happens again.
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