Noel Hall, the son of a poor Weyburn family who went on to graduate from Harvard and became a full professor at the University of British Columbia, was the latest inductee to the Wall of Fame at the Soo Line Historical Museum.

A small induction ceremony was held at the museum on Friday afternoon, with his tribute written and read by a life-long friend, Jeanette (Metheral) Mabee, with memories provided by friends who knew him growing up, including Art Wallace, president of the Soo Line Historical Society. Hall was unable to attend the ceremony due to health problems.

"We're very proud of him and I know his family would very proud of him too," said Wallace.

Born in 1930 in Carnduff, in the midst of the Great Depression, Noel's father George heard there might be work in Weyburn at the Mental Hospital, and as Wallace related, he walked all the way to Weyburn. He obtained work here in the spring of 1931, and the family moved to Weyburn.

Noel recalls living opposite Thompson's dairy farm on the highway, which Wallace added was around Elizabeth Street.

Noel began his schooling at Haig School, and later went to Assiniboia School before graduating from the Weyburn Collegiate in 1948. In spite of his family being very poor, he went on to be the only member of his family to obtain a university education, enrolling first at the University of British Columbia as he lived with his sister Hazel and her husband Wilson Nicolle. After graduating in 1952 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, he earned his Master's degree at the University of Southern California, getting a Master's in Business Administration.

Noel then took a teaching position at the University of British Columbia, where he taught until he retired as a full professor in 1996. He took a leave of absence to attend Harvard University, and he received his doctorate degree in 1960.

After he returned from Harvard, he was asked on behalf of the university and the Canada Columbo Plan to establish programs in commerce at the University of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. He spent two years there working on this project.

Back at the UBC, he served on a number of commissions at the provincial and federal level, dealing with arbitration and labour legislation, and was appointed to a committee as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Labour. In 1972, he was instrumental in drafting B.C.'s Labour Code. He served a long career in the faculty of commerce and business administration, serving as dean of faculty until his retirement.

Noel recalled his years growing up in Weyburn, with teachers such as Isobel Murray, Flossie Bell, Herb Whitehead, Harold Hunter and especially Kate Myers. He was instrumental in helping to establish the Kate Myers Scholarship and the Kate Myers Book awards in the elementary schools in her memory along with other former students of Miss Myers.

Wallace, who worked for the CPR out of Weyburn, recalled that Noel was involved in arbitrating a dispute with the railroad, which was intent on closing down passenger train service from smaller centres, including from Weyburn.

"I said you can be sure of one thing, we're going to do as well as Noel can do. He dealt with Ian Sinclair at the CPR, and he was absolutely ruthless. Noel mentioned later how difficult a person he was to deal with," said Wallace, adding later Noel also helped settle a major Air Canada strike.

Mabee recalled knowing him in school as an average student, and had asked him how he went on to become a university professor; she told the audience, "he said he worked hard at it."