Mary Rafferty comes from a poor family of steel mill workers in 19th Century Pittsburgh. Her family objects when she goes to work as a maid for the wealthy Scott family which controls the mill. Mary catches the attention of handsome scion Paul Scott, but their romance is complicated by Paul's engagement to someone else and a bitter strike among the mill workers.

A debutante, a serviceman's bride and a girl from a military family join the Women's Army Corps.

A women's track team is preparing for a big meet against a rival college, but the coach is having trouble getting her team ready. Norma, the team's star, is more interested in slipping out to meet her boyfriend than she is with getting ready for the meet, so Norma and the coach engage in a clash of wills.