- Ronald's high-school valedictory address praises books and condemns sports. His girlfriend Mary condemns his attitude. Fearing to lose her to rival Jeff, he decides to go to college and pay more attentions to sports.
- The Boy graduates from high school with interscholastic honors, and as class orator he speaks on "Brains vs. Brawn," demeaning athletics, thereby winning the favor of the pedagogs but not that of the students. His college sweetheart requires that he become an athlete, so he spends his savings and tries out for all sports and is a perfect flop. He goes to work to pay his way through school, but every job adds to his blunders. His rival takes delight in maneuvering The Girl to his place of employment and further humiliating him. Then the college dean takes an interest in The Boy and insists that the varsity coach give him a chance; through coincidence, he thwarts a plot against him and wins a race. Learning that his rival has locked The Girl in the dormitory, The Boy goes to the rescue, performing all the athletic feats he dreamed about, and knocks the rival cold; thus the weakling becomes the college idol.
- Set in Southern California, the movie opens with Ronald (Buster Keaton) graduating high school as the schools most brilliant scholar. At his graduation Ronald speaks on the Curse of the Athlete in which he argues that books are more important that athletics.
After Graduation Ronald decides to follow Mary (Ann Cornwall), the girl who rejected him because she loves athletes more than book worms, to Calyton which the dean describes as an athlete-infested college. While at Clayton, Ronald in an effort to impress Mary tries out and fails in the various sports.
Eventual the dean calls in Ronald to ask him why his grades are suffering. After Ronald explains the situation to the dean, the dean empathizes with Ronald and orders the Rowing coach to make Ronald the coxswain in the upcoming competition. The coach reluctantly agrees but tries to sabotage Ronald so he cannot compete.
Meanwhile, Mary starts to appreciate Ronalds futile efforts to impress her. However, on the day of the competition Jeff (Harold Goodwin), Marys jock boyfriend, gets kicked out of college and takes her hostage in her room in an effort to get her kicked out also so she can marry him.
What will happen in the rowing competition? Will Ronald save Mary? You will have to watch the movie to find out the answers to these questions.
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