Library at Burroughs High named after longtime teacher

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell gets a hug from English teacher Jill Sullivan after she spoke about Campbell’s influence on her during Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell takes in a standing ovation from attendees during Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell gets a hug from actor Clint Howard after Howard spoke about Campbell’s influence on him as a student and the friendship that continues to the present during Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell is applauded at the start of Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell is met by a well-wisher before the start of Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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A display case in the entrance of the Burroughs High library features the history of former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell during Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Attendees of Saturday’s dedication of the Steven Campbell Library listen to speakers talk about the influence of the former English teacher on their lives.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell, along with Principal Deborah Madrigal, unveil the sign during Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell gets a hug from Social Science teacher Jerry Mullady after Mullady spoke about Campbell’s influence on him during Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

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Former Burroughs High English teacher Steve Campbell listens as actor Clint Howard speaks about Campbell’s influence on him as a student and the friendship that continues during Saturday’s dedication of the school library in Campbell’s name.

(Miguel Vasconcellos / Burbank Leader)

By Mark Kellam

April 3, 2018 2:50 PM PT

The library at John Burroughs High School was dedicated on Saturday to longtime teacher Steve Campbell, who was hired by the local school district in 1965.

He began teaching at what was then Jordan Junior High, where he taught for 25 years, most of that time teaching English, Spanish and journalism.

Under his guidance, the school newspaper, the STAR, was the top-rated junior high newspaper in the country, earning All-American honors from the National Scholastic Press Assn., the Gallup Award from Quill and Scroll, and Medalist from Columbia University, according to school officials.

When Burbank Unified was reconfigured, which eliminated the junior high and made it a middle school, Campbell transferred to Burroughs High, where he taught ninth-grade English for the rest of his career.

He retired in June 2006, after 41 years of teaching in Burbank. After Campbell retired, he and his husband, who he had been with for 37 years and who passed away two years ago, traveled extensively.

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @lamarkkellam