
<DOC>
<DOCNO> SJMN91-06290146 </DOCNO>
<ACCESS> 06290146 </ACCESS>
<CAPTION>  Photo; PHOTO: Associated Press; Judge Clarence Thomas' mother, Leola Williams,
celebrates the news that her son has been confirmed as a Supreme Court justice.  </CAPTION>
<DESCRIPT>  CITY; GEORGIA; REACTION; US; JUDGE; APPOINTMENT  </DESCRIPT>
<LEADPARA>  As the climactic votes that put her son on the Supreme Court were cast
hundreds of miles away in Washington, Leola Williams jumped from her chair,
hugged a neighbor and then began to sing a spiritual, "Jesus Keep Me Near the
Cross.";   Never had she doubted the outcome, Williams said a short time
later. "I didn't give my child up and I never would," she said. Then she
excused herself to place a phone call to her son, Clarence Thomas. What would
she tell him? "I love you."  </LEADPARA>
<SECTION>  Front  </SECTION>
<HEADLINE>  PRAYERS, SONG IN PIN POINT AS VOTE IS TAKEN  </HEADLINE>
<MEMO>  The Thomas Confirmation: End of an Emotional Tug of War; See also related
article on page 1A, 6A, 12A, 13A, 16A of this section.  </MEMO>
<TEXT>     And, a reporter asked, what would she say to Anita Hill if she had the
chance?;   "I'd tell her to pray," she replied. "She needs God bad. I won't
say nothing bad about her because she's a mother-child, too. But, whoever put
her up to it, I just pray she'll get her life straightened out.";   In Thomas'
birthplace, the hometown crowd has made no attempt to disguise where its heart
lies. A handwritten sign on the main thoroughfare announces: "Pinpoint
Georgia, the home of Judge Clarence Thomas.";   Not surprisingly, no one here
seemed to believe Hill's allegation that Thomas had sexually harassed her
between 1981 and 1983 while she worked for him.;   From a roof, a sign
announced: "We believe Clarence.";   Much of the community gathered before the
only big-screen television available, at the home of Abraham Famble, deacon of
the Sweet Fields of Eden Baptist Church, as the time for the Senate vote
neared.;   Williams prayed silently in the kitchen, asking God to watch over
her son as she rubbed her hands nervously. The crowd joined her in the 23rd
Psalm : "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . . .";   As
the tally reached a majority for Thomas, a cry of joy and applause rang out.; 
 "Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal," Famble said.  </TEXT>
<BYLINE>  Newsday  </BYLINE>
<COUNTRY>  USA  </COUNTRY>
<CITY>  Pin Point, Ga.  </CITY>
<EDITION>  Morning Final  </EDITION>
<CODE>  SJ  </CODE>
<NAME>  San Jose Mercury News  </NAME>
<PUBDATE>   911016  </PUBDATE> 
<DAY>  Wednesday  </DAY>
<MONTH>  October  </MONTH>
<PG.COL>  12A  </PG.COL>
<PUBYEAR>  1991  </PUBYEAR>
<REGION>  WEST  </REGION>
<FEATURE>  PHOTO  </FEATURE>
<STATE>  CA  </STATE>
<WORD.CT>  361  </WORD.CT>
<DATELINE>  Wednesday, October 16, 1991
00290146,SJ1  </DATELINE>
<COPYRGHT>  Copyright 1991, San Jose Mercury News  </COPYRGHT>
<LIMLEN>  1  </LIMLEN>
<LANGUAGE>  ENG  </LANGUAGE>
</DOC>

