O’Connor says Arizona brought honor to Supreme Court Justice

PHOENIX (AP) – The nation’s first woman U.S. Supreme Court justice told a crowd of admirers at the state Capitol today that it “was not Sandra Day O’Connor who brought honor to Arizona, but Arizona that brought honor to Sandra Day O’Connor.” Gov. Bruce Babbitt, Arizona Chief Justice Fred C. Struckmeyer Jr. and legislative leaders joined her on the podium under cloudy skies as about 200-300 persons gathered in the Capitol Mall to offer their tribute. Babbitt formally presented a proclamation declaring the occasion Sandra Day O’Connor Day. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever dream that I’d be standing here in the Capitol Mall on a day proclaimed as Sandra Day O’Connor Day,” she said. Wearing a white coat against the morning chill, Mrs. O’Connor said she was proud to be allArizona, recalling her career as an assistant attorney general, a state senator and a judge before her nomination to the Supreme Court. “It was this state and this city that gave me a job when there weren’t too many jobs for women,” she said. “It was not just an opportunity to work but to lead.” She said she was hired by a male attorney general as-an assistant and her first assignment was as counsel to the cosmetology board. “I guess they thought I needed to improve my appearance,” she said. When a vacancy occurred in the Arizona Senate, Mrs. O’Connor said, “It was an all-male board of supervisors that appointed me.” “If you think you know your family well, you should try the Legislature when you’re working