STUDENTS SKIP ROPE FOR A WORTHY CAUSE

Jenifer Loftin and her friend, Rachel Downen, both 11 years old, were among

the Olive Branch Middle School students who jumped at a chance to promote healthy hearts on March 6, 1987. The school held a Jump Rope for Heart contest to raise funds for the local Heart Association. Students had to raise a minimum 2 contributions from a sponsor to qualify for the event, and almost all of the school’s 675 students participated. Last year the school raised $6,920, more than any other public school in the state of Mississippi. This year it raised $8,502.11 and hopes to hold on to first place.

25 years ago: 1987

WASHINGTON — Federal Express and Memphis now need only a green light from the Reagan administration to become the center of small package traffic to and from Japan. The Department of Transportation’s chief administrative law judge yesterday recommended to Secretary Elizabeth Dole that Federal Express be awarded the sole express package route to Japan over its principal competitor, a consortium between United Parcel Service and DHL International.

50 years ago: 1962

The executive vice president of the ArkansasMissouri Ginners Association strongly rebuked Memphis’ lack of convention facilities last night on the eve of the 11th annual Mid-south Gin Supply Exhibit which will bring an estimated 4,000 persons to the city today and tomorrow. W. Kemper Bruton of West Memphis, who is also chairman of the exhibit, said, “We’ve been stifled for seven years by the terrible shortage of space in which to hold our show. We only have room for 51 exhibits this year. We could have had four times as many if we had a place to put them.”

75 years ago: 1937

Miss Sylvia Dreyfus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.T. Joseph, 269 Hawthorne, will represent the Rex-ridgeway Club in the Cotton Carnival, the club president, W.W. Goodman, announced yesterday. Miss Dreyfus is now vacationing with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Elias Goldsmith, in Miami Beach.

100 years ago: 1912

Commissioners of the Tri-state Methodist Hospital to be built here will meet today at the First Methodist Church to formally instruct a committee composed of T.K. Riddick, John R. Pepper and L.M. Stratton to select and purchase a lot for erection of the $250,000 building.

125 years ago: 1887

The Memphis Taxing District has paid off its Police, Fire, Hospital and Board of Health departments, disbursing $7,000 in the process.