Louisiana Tech's Lagniappe Beauties

How Hollywood helped choose the prettiest girls on campus

     In the 1930s and 40s, many colleges called upon well-known artists, actors, cinematographers, and other celebrities to select the beautiful coeds to appear in the schools’ yearbooks.

     In 1934, Bing Crosby selected beauties for the University of Northern Iowa yearbook from ten finalists. The University of Southern Arkansas used natives of the state like actor Dick Powell and radio comedians Lum and Abner to choose beauties for the Mulerider, the school’s yearbook.

 

Millie Lomax was selected as a Tech

campus beauty in 1934 and 1936.





Oma Watson was a 1939 Lagniappe selection.

    

  

Louisiana Tech also adopted this policy in the 1930s. In the 20s, a single coed was usually selected annually as the school’s “most beautiful” or “prettiest girl” for the Lagniappe, the college’s yearbook. A bevy of campus beauties was first selected in 1929 by vote of the students.

TECH'S FIRST

(For the baseball and Louisiana Tech fans in the audience.)

Rebel Oakes led the way to the pros

When you think of Louisiana Tech athletes who went on to play professional sports in the "old days," stars like Terry Bradshaw, George Stone, and Mike Barber may come to mind.

Those Tech athletes from the 60's and 70's may not care to have their college careers viewed as ancient history, even though decades have passed since they donned a Bulldog uniform.

The old days—as far as the first time Tech sent one of its own to a pro ball club—go back nearly as far as the university itself.

The first steps in organizing a formal sports program at Tech were taken in 1901 when the first coach was hired. Coach Barber was responsible for all physical education on the campus, including the football, baseball, and basketball teams.

Baseball was one the first programs to get up and running at Tech and would be the first sport to send a player to the pros.