At first most of the children denied being molested. But in extensive taped interviews in which anatomical dolls were used, the children were told that other children had divulged ''yucky secrets'' about the school and were urged to do likewise. Ultimately about 360 of the 400 children interviewed described abuse. The children told of being molested by the teachers, playing a ''Naked Movie Star Game'' and being photographed; they told of animal sacrifices and hidden passageways under the school.

The Indictments

Sweeping Charges, Growing Doubts

On the basis of 18 children's testimony and doctors' testimony of physical results of abuse, but little other corroborating evidence, a grand jury on March 22, 1984, indicted Raymond Buckey; his mother; his elderly grandmother who founded the school, Virginia McMartin; his sister, Peggy Ann Buckey, and three other teachers, Betty Raidor, Babette Spitler and Mary Ann Jackson, on 115 counts, later expanded to 321 counts involving 48 children. Doctors said all of the children showed medical evidence of abuse, though that was challenged in some cases by the defense.

A few days after the indictment, the prosecution asserted that child pornography was the motive of the alleged molesting. But a worldwide search by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Interpol found no photographs or films, nor did extensive archeological excavations on the school grounds turn up animal bones, hidden passageways or other evidence.

Case Seen as Concocted

The defense team has contended that the entire case was concocted, not only that the case was too weak to obtain convictions but also that there was simply no evidence that any child had been abused at the school.

The defense lawyers' view was presented last October in an article in Los Angeles magazine by Mary A. Fischer, a freelance writer who worked closely with the defense. In the article, Ms. Fischer said the case was ''simply invented,'' transmogrified into a national cause celebre by the intersecting ambitions and misplaced zeal of six people: Judy Johnson, the mother, who suffered from mental illness and later died of the effects of alcoholism; Jane Hoag, the detective who originally investigated the complaints; Ms. MacFarlane, the social worker; Robert Philibosian, the district attorney at the time, who was engaged in a losing political battle for re-election; Mr. Satz, the television reporter who first reported the case, and Ms. Rubin, the prosecutor.

''They were all operating out of zealousness for reasons of ambition or vested interest,'' Ms. Fischer said. ''Not that they were bad people, but very mistaken.''

Mr. Philibosian, now in private law practice here, angrily disputed suggestions that he pushed the case to bolster his sagging campaign against Ira Reiner, who won the election in 1984. ''Absolute utter nonsense,'' he said, adding that there were six months of investigations by several agencies, that a grand jury sifted the evidence and that a judge ordered it to trial. The real culprit, he said, was time - delays by the defense. ''The fault is with the horrible requirements of the criminal justice system in California, which allows an incredible waste of time through delay tactics,'' he said.