Alfred L. Block '50
2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award for Community Service
While in high school, it was Al's mother's fondest dream for him to attend Carroll.
After serving with the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II, Alfred L. Block '50 was admitted
into Carroll in 1946 and was able to use the G.I. Bill to support his education. Majoring
in history, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1950 and went on to receive
a Master of Arts from Marquette University in 1954.
Actively involved in public education for over fifty years, as both a teacher and
administrator, Al's teaching experience includes tenures at Milwaukee Boys Technical
School, West Milwaukee High School, Franklin High School, and as an adjunct at Carroll,
MATC, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Mount Mary College. His administrative
experience includes over 25 years of service as director of instruction and superintendent
of Franklin Public Schools in Franklin, Wis.
Al served as the K-12 environmental education coordinator for the South Milwaukee
School District and as a member of the Wisconsin Civic Action Task Force. His passion
for education also spread as far as East Africa, where he oversaw the construction
of a primary school in rural Kenya in honor of his late wife, Carol. The school opened
in the fall of 2010, and includes a new library and teacher resource room.
Block’s commitment to serving others has not been limited to his professional career.
Ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian Church, he has been an active member for
his entire adult life—including volunteer work on Habitat for Humanity projects in
Milwaukee. He also served as a state and congressional district coordinator for the
"We the People" Program since 1987; curriculum committee for the National Ice Age
Trail Foundation; member of the Franklin Historical Society; and volunteer for the
nonprofit group Ducks Unlimited, dedicated to restoring and preserving wetland habitat
throughout North America.
Al attributes Carroll for providing the basis for a well-defined career and for imparting
an ethical foundation for the family he raised. Block's connections to Carroll run
deep; his late wife Carol was a Carroll graduate, class of 1951, and two of his three
children, David '76 and Deborah '74, are Carroll alumni. All three of his children
ended up in careers where service to others was most important.
His daughter Deborah currently serves as senior pastor at Immanuel Presbyterian Church
in Milwaukee and is a member of Carroll's Board of Trustees, while David completed
22 years of full-time teaching in environmental science and geography at Carroll and
is currently holds professor emeritus status. Al's son, Dennis, is a retired U.S.
Army Lieutenant Colonel and is currently serving as a property strategies vice president
for the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin-Southeast Region. Al lives in Milwaukee, Wis. and
remains a commitment and loyal alumnus.
