In 1950, Harry Truman was president, Earl Long was governor of Louisiana and Hilma Levis was Hilma LaBauve, a 19-year-old sophomore at Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute in her hometown of Lafayette.
She was majoring in elementary education at SLI, and outside of class, she wrote for The Vermilion and cheered on the Bulldogs as one of the Red Jackets. The pep squad was known for their formations on the field, their white pleated skirts and gloves, and their red jackets, of course.