Doing good deeds in the public's name

Public employees serve the community well every day, though they may not routinely get credit for what they do. Two recent instances, one involving a school district and the other a fire department, typify what we mean. Sterling Schools plans to honor a former English teacher Saturday by dedicating the high school's renovated library in her name. We refer to Marie Dickson, who taught at SHS from 1949 to 1980. Her impact is still being felt, 28 years after her retirement. One of her students, Terry Brooks, went on to write the best-selling Shannara series of fantasy books. Brooks is scheduled to attend the ceremony, which starts at 1 p.m. at the high school. Though Brooks is her most famous student, Dickson taught hundreds of others how to u