MID-SOUTH MEMORIES

25 years ago — 1994 The U.S. Olympic Committee said Saturday that Tonya Harding can skate in the Winter Games, in return she agreed to drop her $25 million lawsuit against the Board. Harding, accused by her ex-husband of helping to plan the attack on Nancy Kerrigan last month, will join Kerrigan as a teammate in Lillehammer, Norway, on Wednesday. “I finally get to prove to the world I can win a gold medal,” Harding said. 50 years ago — 1969 Former Criminal Court Judge Ben L. Hooks will be honored Monday night at a testimonial dinner at the Holiday Inn-rivermont, given by the Memphis chapter of Frontiers International, which is a service organization. John J. Hooker, Nashville attorney and prominent Democratic political figure, will speak. Seven hundred persons are expected, including Senator Albert Gore and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy. Mr. Hooks has retired as judge to devote more time as pastor to his two churches, Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Detroit and Greater Middle Baptist Church in Memphis. The Rev. Mr. Hooks is also associated with Hooks Brothers Photography. 75 years ago — 1944 Supervision of milk and water supplies and establishment of “well child” clinics has resulted in a 54 per cent decrease in the infant death rate in Shelby County during the past 10 years, said Shelby County health officer Dr. L.M. Graves yesterday. 100 years ago — 1919 EL PASO, Texas — The Mexican government is negotiating with an Eastern airplane manufacturer to buy 35 high-powered bombing planes for the use of Gen. Jesus Castro in pursuing and bombing Francisco Villa’s rebel bands from the air. Permission has been asked of the United States government for importation of planes to Mexico. 125 years ago — 1894 Evangelist Sam Jones is shaking Nashville to its roots. They say there never was such a wailing and gnashing of teeth as witnessed there last week. Well, Nashville needs this sort of thing and we are glad to see it.

THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILES Dr. Ben E. Goodrich, second right, dealt with clinical problems related to high blood pressure within the lungs on Feb. 13 1951 in his talk before the Mid-south Post-graduate Medical Assembly. Discussing his paper with him are Dr. N.B. Ellis, left, of Wilson, Ark.; Dr. W.H. Lunceford of Sardis, Miss., and Dr. William Britt Burns of Memphis. Dr. Burns was vice president of the old Tri-state Medical Assembly in 1898, which preceded the present organization. He maintains he hasn't missed a single meeting throughout the years.