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Hall, Lois Gillis 1997


"Whistle While You Work" could have been the theme song for Lois Gillis Hall, a 1918 graduate of Oklahoma College for Women. Hall’s unique talent is whistling. She has performed for radio and her church choir. Hall made a special whistling appearance when she performed with Northeastern Oklahoma State University’s orchestra. Hall has served as president in the Early American Glass (a member for forty years). She’s been active with the Redbud Women’s Club, Galvia Garden Club, Oklahoma Symphony Auxiliary, Civic Music Association, Shakespeare Society (past president), and the American Association of University Women (of which she served as district president over two states). Serving as chairman of an Oklahoma committee to rewrite the curriculum plan for freshman English throughout the state was part of her many contributions to higher education. The 100-year-old Hall, an expert in modern drama and Shakespeare, still gives programs that are informative and entertaining. These performances of biographical sketches, poetry and other fine arts works keep Hall feeling vital. Two given last month were The Life of Sequoyah and The Royal Dowry That Changed the Western World. She also attended OCU, OU, Chicago, Columbia, Oxford and Stanford universities. She was an English professor and dean at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. She held the a similar position at Alfred University in western New York. She served as a graduate assistant in English at Columbia and at Stanford. After traveling in 56 countries, she is now active in civic club and church work in Oklahoma City.

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