Eye-Opening Women: Sandra Day O'Connor

(CBS News) Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed by President Reagan to be the first female justice to serve on highest court in the U.S. in 1981 -- she joined "CBS This Morning" on Monday as part of "Eye-Opening Women," a Women's History Month series.

Justice O'Connor recently released a revealing book about the Supreme Court, "Out of Order," and admitted she missed the "in a way" but explained that she had been there for a considerable amount of time -- 25 years -- and allowed that "it's a lot of hard work." 

These days, she is focusing on iCivics, an new initiative to bring civics back to American public schools in order to create a generation of engaged citizens.

"Our country has stopped teaching civics to young people and I think that is unacceptable," she said of the program. 

Historians and modern-day legislators have referred to O'Connor as one of the most important women in American history, but O'Connor rebuffed the high praise, saying "I don't accept that grandiose statement. I would like [my legacy] to be that I was the first woman to serve on the court and I did a decent job."

As to whether or not she did a "more than decent" job, she added, "that's for others to decide."

O'Connor also spoke of her close relationship with the late Justice William Rehnquist -- and their bridge games together -- and gifted CBS This Morning's Charlie Rose her "most treasured possession." 

Watch the video about to find out what it was and hear more from O'Connor.