MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), the city, the state and others have honored Joyce Hall for her dedication to children.
On Friday, George Washington Carver Academy hosted a ceremony and ribbon cutting for the naming of the Joyce A. Hall Library.
“I always enjoyed teaching. That was my passion,” said Hall.
She taught at Henry L. Palmer School (now Carver Academy) for 36 years before retiring in the mid-1990s. She continued to volunteer as a reading tutor up until the pandemic.
“Because of the virus, I had to stop. But i will never forget my experience here,” said Hall.
The library was named for Hall back in July and the ceremony was held Friday, along with the presentation of other honors.
The City of Milwaukee named December, 10, 2021, Joyce A. Hall Day. Milwaukee Bucks Pres. Peter Feigin awarded Hall a Bucks jersey with her name on the back. St. Benedict of the Moor Parish presented her with a book, and Governor Tony Evers sent his thanks.
A former student, Healean Harley, was among those at the ceremony.
“She was my reading teacher. She was always a soft-spoken woman, very kind, very sweet,” said Harley, who now works in school's cafeteria.
Hall taught Harley back in the 1960s.
“I used to tell her all the time, why do you still come here? And she said, 'you know, well, I love the children.' And this is her passion — to work with the children,” she said.
Several members of Hall's family attended and spoke at the ceremony, including a surprise appearance from a nephew who drove from Omaha to tell his aunt that he's "proud of her."
