Millard Hall
Encyclopedia
Millard Young "Jerry" Hall (August 12, 1926 – March 6, 2005) was a journalist
and political consultant
. He served as press secretary
to Texas
governor Preston Smith
.
to John Morgan Hall and Beulah Mae Hall née Houston. After high school, he enrolled in John Tarleton College (now Tarleton State University
) but dropped out to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Force
where he served until the end of World War II
. He then enrolled in Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University
) in Lubbock, Texas
, where he served as editor of The Toreador
and also worked as a photographer for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
. He married Mary Frances Vestal on August 31, 1950, and received his journalism degree in 1954.
before joining the Washington
staff of Congressman George H. Mahon
.
By 1958, Hall had returned to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
; and, by 1965, he had moved to Austin
to work for the capitol bureau of Fentress Newspapers. He covered Charles Whitman
's sniper attack on the University of Texas campus in 1966. He also covered the 1968 Democratic National Convention
and 1968 Republican National Convention
.
After Preston Smith
was elected governor of Texas
, he appointed Hall to serve as his press secretary
, a role he held from 1969 to 1971. Hall, along with State Representative Bill Parsley and Warren Skaaren
, a staff member in Governor Smith's office at the time, were instrumental in persuading Smith to create the Texas Film Commission.
Following his departure from the job of press secretary, Hall became the director of public information for the Constitutional Revision Commission and Constitutional Convention and worked on more than 60 political campaigns. In 1989, Hall returned to the Capitol in Austin to be Chief of Staff to Senator John Montford.
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and political consultant
Political consulting
Political consulting, beyond the self-evident definition of consulting in political matters, refers to a specific management consulting industry which has grown up around advising and assisting political campaigns. This article deals primarily with the development and nature of political consulting...
. He served as press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
governor Preston Smith
Preston Smith (Texas)
Preston Earnest Smith was the 40th Governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973, who earlier served as the lieutenant governor from 1963 to 1969.-Early life:...
.
Early life
Hall was born in Stanton, TexasStanton, Texas
Stanton is a city in and the county seat of Martin County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,556 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanton is located at ....
to John Morgan Hall and Beulah Mae Hall née Houston. After high school, he enrolled in John Tarleton College (now Tarleton State University
Tarleton State University
Tarleton State University is a public, coeducational, state university located in Stephenville, Texas. It is the largest non-land-grant university primarily devoted to agriculture in the United States....
) but dropped out to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
where he served until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He then enrolled in Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
) in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, where he served as editor of The Toreador
The Daily Toreador
The Daily Toreador is the student newspaper of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The newspaper started in 1925 after the founding of Texas Technological College in 1923. It was originally called The Toreador to reflect the Spanish Renaissance architectural of the campus's buildings...
and also worked as a photographer for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is a newspaper based in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. It is owned by the Morris Communications Company.-History:The Lubbock Avalanche was founded in 1900 by John James Dillard and Thad Tubbs. According to Dillard, the name "Avalanche" was chosen due to his desire that the...
. He married Mary Frances Vestal on August 31, 1950, and received his journalism degree in 1954.
Career
After graduating from college, Hall worked for a year as a copy editor for the Fort Worth Star-TelegramFort Worth Star-Telegram
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is a major U.S. daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. Its area of domination is checked by its main rival, The Dallas Morning News, which is published from the eastern half of the Metroplex. It is owned...
before joining the Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
staff of Congressman George H. Mahon
George H. Mahon
George Herman Mahon was a Texas politician who served twenty-two consecutive terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from the Lubbock-based 19th congressional district....
.
By 1958, Hall had returned to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is a newspaper based in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. It is owned by the Morris Communications Company.-History:The Lubbock Avalanche was founded in 1900 by John James Dillard and Thad Tubbs. According to Dillard, the name "Avalanche" was chosen due to his desire that the...
; and, by 1965, he had moved to Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
to work for the capitol bureau of Fentress Newspapers. He covered Charles Whitman
Charles Whitman
Charles Joseph Whitman was a student at the University of Texas at Austin and a former Marine who killed 16 people and wounded 32 others during a shooting rampage on and around the university's campus on August 1, 1966....
's sniper attack on the University of Texas campus in 1966. He also covered the 1968 Democratic National Convention
1968 Democratic National Convention
The 1968 Democratic National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968. Because Democratic President Lyndon Johnson had announced he would not seek a second term, the purpose of the convention was to...
and 1968 Republican National Convention
1968 Republican National Convention
The 1968 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Dade County, Florida, from August 5 to August 8, 1968....
.
After Preston Smith
Preston Smith (Texas)
Preston Earnest Smith was the 40th Governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973, who earlier served as the lieutenant governor from 1963 to 1969.-Early life:...
was elected governor of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, he appointed Hall to serve as his press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
, a role he held from 1969 to 1971. Hall, along with State Representative Bill Parsley and Warren Skaaren
Warren Skaaren
Warren Skaaren was an American screenwriter and film producer. His notable writing includes: Batman , Beetlejuice , Beverly Hills Cop 2 and Fire with Fire . He was also credited as associate producer for Top Gun , for which he wrote a draft...
, a staff member in Governor Smith's office at the time, were instrumental in persuading Smith to create the Texas Film Commission.
Following his departure from the job of press secretary, Hall became the director of public information for the Constitutional Revision Commission and Constitutional Convention and worked on more than 60 political campaigns. In 1989, Hall returned to the Capitol in Austin to be Chief of Staff to Senator John Montford.