Lincoln Hall Project
Working for the Illini Union and ROTC
By Lois Fullerton Meier, BS ’42, education
I graduated with high honors in 1942 from the College of Education.
The Illini Union opened during my undergraduate years. I worked three hours a day as student secretary for Irene Pierson, Assistant Dean of Women, who was the first social director for the Illini Union.
We kept meticulous records of each social event—a copy of the invitation or publicity, who was invited, who attended, what facilities were used, microphones required, where additional chairs if needed were obtained, who catered, what was served, total cost, and an assessment of how well it went and how it could have been improved.
On occasion, one of my duties was to show visiting dignitaries around the campus.
I was also the Pershing Rifles sponsor so every Friday afternoon at four o'clock I donned my white uniform, dashed south on the quadrangle from the Illini Union to the Armory where I stood beside Walt Morey, student colonel of the University Brigade, to review the ROTC troops.
Great memories!
The views expressed in Storyography are not necessarily those of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or the University of Illinois.