Gladys Shields Pyle (October 4, 1890 – March 14, 1989) was an American educator, politician and the first woman elected to the United States Senate without having previously been appointed to her position; she was also the first female senator to serve as a Republican and the first female senator from South Dakota. Further, she was the first female senator from outside the south. (The previous four had come from Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Alabama, respectively.) She was also the first unmarried female senator.