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When Sandra Met Harry

July/August 2008

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When Sandra Met Harry

Glenn Matsumura

On April 22, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor gave the inaugural talk of a lecture series honoring late law professor Harry Rathbun, ’16, Engr. ’20, JD ’29. Rathbun was well known for his “Last Lecture,” in which he would devote the final class of the term to exploring what leads to a meaningful life. In keeping with that tradition, O’Connor, ’50, JD ’52, spoke about the role of faith and warned against using material wealth to measure success. Her philosophy of life, she said, was shaped by her years at Stanford, and by Rathbun in particular: “He was the most inspiring teacher I ever had.”

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