Aunt Mildred finds a way for her to attend college for $5 per semester.
After graduating from Denison High School in Iowa, Donna Reed planned to become a teacher. But she was unable to pay for college.
Her Aunt Mildred solved the problem by inviting her to live with her in Los Angeles. As a resident of California, she was able to enroll in radio and secretarial courses at Los Angeles City College for five dollars a semester.
She studied shorthand, typing, and also took drama classes, appearing in various stage productions.
While attending college, she worked as a dishwasher, librarian, housekeeper, and secretary. She once was holding down three jobs at the same time.