Who is Hattie Benedict from The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories and what is their importance?

Hattie Benedict appears in the story, Wickedness. She is a schoolteacher, who is described as young and caring but inexperienced. Hattie is new to the area, and when a snowstorm occurs, she does her best to protect two of her students, who are unable get home in time. Unfortunately, they die in the blizzard, something Hattie will never forgive herself for. Hattie loses her feet to frostbite as a result of the same storm.