Ruth (Boles) Newton, is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, and attended Vashon High School.  Ruth was an outstanding student at Vashon and co-captain of the girls swim team.  Ruth enrolled at Lincoln in September 1964 and decided to major in elementary education.  While at Lincoln, she came under the influence of her academic advisor, Mrs. Carolyn Banner, who confirmed her desire to become an elementary school teacher and a true "Bannerite".  Ruth was active in the Student Government Association, where she served as representative from both Bennett and Martin Halls, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, member of the University choir, the Pan Hellenic Council and selected to the 1967-68 Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. She was also selected as 1968 SGA “Woman of the Year”. 

Ruth graduated from Lincoln in 1968 with a B.S. degree in elementary education and was married that same year to fellow Lincolnite, Robert Newton, from Fairfield, Alabama.   Two weeks after their wedding, the couple moved to Washington, DC where Ruth began her teaching career as a 3rd grade elementary teacher in the District of Columbia, while husband, Robert enrolled in Howard University Law School.  In May 1974, Ruth received a Masters Degree in early childhood education from George Washington University in Washington, DC.   Ruth, her husband and two infant sons moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where her husband was engaged in a private law practice until 1976. They returned to the Washington, DC area with a third son, born in 1975.

Ruth returned to the work force as Director of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Greenbelt Child Day Care Center in 1977.  While at Goddard, she developed an exemplary cognitive education program and supervised a staff of 5.  She left Goddard after a year to resume her motherhood duties.  She and her family moved to Columbia, Maryland in 1978.  In 1980, she accepted a position as a library associate in the Howard County Maryland Library system.  Later that year, she was awarded a National Education fellowship and earned a Masters Degree in Library Science from the University of Maryland (College Park).  Her academic efforts earned her selection to the Omicron Delta Kappa Fraternity, and selection to Beta Phi Mu, the library of science honor society.  Eligibility for membership in Beta Phi Mu is by invitation of the faculty from an American Library Association accredited professional degree program.  Ruth has worked for the public library as a Reference Librarian, Assistant Branch Manager and Branch Manager.  Currently, Ruth is the branch manager of the Charles E. Miller Branch of the Howard County Public Library system where she manages a 350,000 materials collection and a staff of 46 persons.

Ruth is active in her church, Peace Lutheran in Washington, DC, where she is coordinator of the greeters, a member of the Unity Choir, and the drama ministry.  She and her husband became active with the DC Alumni chapter in 1988 and she has served on various committees, as delegate to several national conventions, secretary of the chapter and currently serves as President.

Ruth resides in Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland with her husband, Robert Newton.  She is the mother of three adult sons, Robert Wade and Reginald Alan, who reside in New York City, and Ryan Wesley, who lives in Maryland.