Lavinia is the favorite pupil in the high school of a small town. At the graduation exercises she is presented, by the school trustees, with a scholarship in Freshwater College, as a reward for her high standing as a student. Later she leaves alone for the city. At college she is thrown among girls who have come from wealthy homes and have enjoyed social advantages far above any which have come into her life. As a consequence, the simple, demure Lavinia is laughed at and snubbed. She retains her sweet nature through it all. One night there is a clandestine chafing dish party in the room of Betty, the ringleader of the "fashionable" set. All in the dormitory are invited except Lavinia. Thinking, in her simple-hearted way, that she has been overlooked by accident, she presents herself at the party and attempts to enter into the festivities with the others. She is received in an ironical manner, but the whole aspect of the situation is soon changed. During a pillow fight the lighted alcohol lamp is overturned and the room is ablaze in a moment, A panic ensues in which Lavinia proves herself a heroine, capping the climax of her daring, when it is discovered that one of the girls has been left unrescued, by climbing to the second story of the building by the waterspout and lowering the unfortunate to the ground in safety. In descending, the waterspout breaks away from the wall and Lavinia is precipitated to the ground, suffering terrible injury. The girls now realize the smallness of their own conduct and do everything to make amends to Lavinia. Her mother is brought to the city at their expense, and Lavinia is suitably rewarded.