Reform School Girl (1957) Plot Summary Explained

Donna was sent to reform school because she refused to identify Vince as the driver who killed the pedestrian. While she was technically a passenger and witness, she feared for her life after Vince threatened to murder anyone who betrayed him. When she refused to cooperate with police, she was labeled a juvenile delinquent and institutionalised. The authorities viewed her refusal to provide information as criminal behavior rather than fear-based self-protection.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the car, Vince explicitly warned that he would murder anyone who betrayed him, establishing why Donna was too terrified to speak.

• donna price
• reform school
• juvenile delinquent
• witness
• vince

Vince feared that Donna would eventually tell authorities what happened the night of the accident. Since Donna was the only other person in the car when he struck and killed the pedestrian, she was the only witness who could identify him as the driver. Vince had already demonstrated he was capable of violence by committing murder during the police chase, so Donna had every reason to believe his threats were serious.

Foreshadowing: Vince's warning in the car about murdering anyone who turned on him planted the seed of this fear.

• vince
• donna price
• witness
• pedestrian accident
• murder

Vince orchestrated a scheme to make Donna appear to be a police informer. He had his girlfriend call the police and pose as Donna, falsely claiming that a girl at the reform school was a thief. This ruse planted suspicion among the other girls, who believed Donna had informed on one of them to the police. The false tip created a toxic atmosphere where Donna was isolated and targeted.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows this happens soon after Donna arrives at the school, creating early conflict.

• donna price
• police informer
• reform school girls
• false accusation
• roxy

Roxy attacked Donna because she believed Donna was a police informer who had falsely accused one of the girls of theft. Following Vince's setup call, rumors spread through the reform school that Donna had informed on a fellow student. This false belief that Donna was a snitch triggered Roxy's attack. Donna defended herself with a pair of scissors during the confrontation, cutting Roxy.

Foreshadowing: The false tip about a thief directly led to this confrontation in the reform school corridors.

• roxy
• attack
• scissors
• police informer
• reform school fight

Vince attempted to break into the reform school to kill Donna, believing she still posed a threat to expose him for the murder. His plan was to eliminate the only witness against him. However, his attempt was thwarted, he was apprehended by authorities before he could reach Donna. This failed attack ultimately contributed to his downfall and helped clear Donna's name.

Foreshadowing: This attempted murder directly followed the superintendent's decision to transfer Donna to state prison, escalating the danger.

• vince
• break-in
• reform school
• attempted murder
• capture

David Lindsay, the school's psychologist and history teacher, believed in Donna's goodness from the start and advocated for a fair investigation. When the police and school authorities investigated Vince's attempt to break in and his earlier scheme, the truth came to light. David's judgment was proven correct, Donna was innocent, and his faith in her character was justified. The investigation results vindicated his approach and cleared his name with the school administration.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, school authorities had questioned David's judgment and his relationship with Donna, creating tension around his role.

• david lindsay
• vindicated
• psychologist
• investigation
• teacher

The superintendent decided Donna was a high-risk student and ordered her transfer to state prison based on the escalating conflicts at the reform school. The attack on Roxy, the belief that Donna was a police informer, and the general disruption she seemed to cause all factored into this decision. The administration viewed her as a troublemaker rather than a victim, failing to see the larger picture of Vince's manipulation.

Foreshadowing: The superintendent's harsh decision came after the scissors incident and amid growing tension around Donna.

• donna price
• state prison
• transfer
• superintendent
• reform school

Donna was exonerated and released after the police and school authorities completed their investigation into Vince's crimes. His failed attempt to break into the school to kill Donna exposed his true motives and criminal nature. The investigation revealed that Donna had been telling the truth all along, that she was an innocent passenger coerced into silence by threats. With Vince apprehended and the facts clarified, Donna's record was cleared and she was freed.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows this vindication comes immediately after Vince's capture.

• exonerated
• released
• vince arrested
• cleared
• innocent