The school districts in Kansas numbered several thousand at one time
  and included many different types of districts. The 1963 Kansas legis-
  lature enacted the school unification act which made it mandatory that
  districts offer instruction in grades one through twelve, with Kinder-
  garten left to the option of each local district. Thus the number of
  school districts was reducted to 306. The unification act provided for
  the organization of planning boards in each county to establish bound-
  aries and consider ideas on suggestions of interested persons. The 
  work of the plannin gobard was to be completed before March 1, 1964, 
  and the recommendations of each planning board wre to be submitted to
  the state superintendent for approvial. Prior to the effective date,
  the minutes of Rural High School District #7 and Common School District
  #1 Barber County, mention frequent discussions regarding the unification
  of the two districts. A joint meeting was held on April 20, 1964, at 
  which time the two boards passed a joint resolution opposing unification.
  However, efforts to avoid unification failed and state superintendent,
  Adel Throckmorton, issued the unification order which unified the
  Barber County USD #254 School District effective January 1, 1965. This
  order is included in Kansas statutes annotated and is numbered 72-6764.
     The unification order for USD #254 included Rural High School Dist.
  #7, Common School Dist. #1, Sharon Schools, Isabel Schools, and the Sun
  City Schools.
     The unification act was effective for some purposes on January 1,
  1965, and for all purposes on July 1, 1966.
     In April, 1965, board elections were held for the newly formed
  school district and Rollo Thompson, Dwight Stone, V.F. DeGeer, Dale
  Werner, I.W. Mease, And N.H. Mills were elected. The Board members took
  office on July 1, 1965, and served as an interim board for one year as
  the new district did not become fully operative until July 1, 1966.
     The newly elected board met on July 8, 1965, and discussed hiring a
  Superintendent for the new district for a period of two years. Miss
  Hazel Parr was employed as the board clerk, Mr. Luke Chapin as the
  board attorney, and Mr. Chet Stiler as treasurer. After appointing Mr.
  Chapin as board attorney, the Board learned that he had previously
  commited himself to District #255, Barber County, Mr. Orin Wheat was 
  then appointed as board attorney.
     On January 3, 1966, the Board resolved that grades 9 through 12 at
  Sun City would be discontinued for the 1966-67 school year.
     The Board extended the contract of Superintendent Jack Williams for
  a two year period running from August 1, 1966, to August 1, 1968 on 
  January 10, 1966.
     In February, 1966, the Board employed Melvin Coyle as principal for
  the Sharon Schools. Other administrators were Mr Newby at Isabel, Mr.
  Woodson at Medicine Lodge High School, and Mr Hosey at Medicine Lodge
  Elementary. The official name of Unified School District #254, Barber
  County, for the district was adopted by the Board on February 7, 1966.
     Mr. Milo Newman was employed as principal of Sun City - Lake City 
  in May, 1966.
     On July 1, 1966, the new district became fully operative. Mr. Rollo
  Thompson was elected President of the Board and Mr. Dale Werner was
  elected Vice-President for the 1966-67 school year.
     In September, 1966, the Board discussed disposing of properties
  formerly known as the Walstead Schools and the College Hill Schools.
  The Walstead Schools were transferred to a community group for a price
  of $1.00. Sealed bids were solicited for the College Hill School. In
  October, the Board was advised that the County Superintendent was selling
  the College Hill property and applying the proceeds to existing debts.
     In December, 1966, the name of the district was changed to Barber
  County North Unified School District Number 254.
     A shop and Kindergarten addition for Sharon was approved in April,
  1967.
     The Lake City attendence center was closed for the 1967-68 school 
  year by a vote of the patrons of that area. The vote was 21 to 11 in 
  favor of closing.
     Rollo Thompson retired from the Board on June 30, 1967. A plaque of
  appreciation was presented to Mr. Thompson for his 10 years of service
  on the Rural High School District #7 and the Unified District Board of
  Education.
     Mr. Dwight Stone ws elected as Board President and Mr. Dale Werner
  as Vice-President on July 3, 1967. Mr. Robert C. Gilmore was elected
  treasurer.
     Mr. Dick Lyman became a member of the board on July, 1967.
     The Lake City School building was deeded to the Lake City community
  by Board action on October 2, 1967.
     The Board approved a bid of $54,995 from the Morris-Frazier Const.
  Company for construction of a shop building at Sharon in 1967.
     The property known as the 'old football field' was transferred to 
  the City of Medicine Lodge as stipulated by an agreement with Common
  School District #1 in December of 1965.
     Mr. Dwight Stone was elected President and Mr. Dale Warner Vice-
  President for the 1969-70 school year.
     The Dopps Construction Company bid of $85,700 was accepted for the
  addition of an art room and other rooms at Medicine Lodge High School
  on January 28, 19969.
     Although the minutes do not stipulate which board members retired
  from the Board, it appears that Georgi Dawson and Jack Greenwood became
  members of the Board in July, 1969.
     The Board met in special session on July 30, 1969, for the purpose
  of appointing a seventh member to the Board as required by law. Mr.
  Dwight Stone was appointed as member at large.
     A resolution was passed on February 9, 1970, to close Isabel High
  School for the 1970-71 school year.   
     The school district joined in a special education cooperative to be
  effective with the 1971-72 school year on April 12, 1971.
     Four new board members took office on July 1, 1971. They were Ivan
  Watkins, Dorwin Freeman, Marlin Knop and Jerry Crutchfield. Mr. Jack
  Greenwood was elected President and Georgi Dawson Vice-President for 
  the 1971-72 school year.
     The Board approved a resolution to lease the St. Boniface School in
  Sharon for a three year period on February 7, 1972.
     The Isabel attendance center was closed for the 1972-73 school year
  by board action on July 17, 1972, as a result of a petition presented
  to the Board signed by 192 of the 266 eligible voters who favored the
  closing.
     Mr. Vernon McDaniel bacame a board member on July 1, 1973.
     On November 14, 1973, the Board resolved that the Sun City attendence
  center be closed and that the school property be transferred to represen-
  tative governmental group in Sun City Township. Turkey Creek Township,
  and the City of Sun City. It was determined later that a transfer of this
  nature could not be made.
     A capital outlay resolution authorizing a four mill levy for a five
  year period was approved on June 12, 1973, and went into effect for the
  1973-74 school year.
     Superintendent M.L. (Jack) Williams submitted his resignation on March
  26, 1974, effective as of July 1, 1974.
     On May 15, 1974, Dr. Wayne H. Clark was employed as the second super-
  intendent of Barber county North USD #254, effective July 1, 1974.
     Mrs. Ray Henry was appointed temporary clerk of the board on June 18,
  1974, due to the death of board clerk Hazel Parr.
     Mrs. Shirley Cox was appointed board clerk on July 25, 1974.
     Three new board members took office on July 1, 1975. They were Roy
  Case, Billy Keller, and Jim Lonker. Jack Greenwood was re-elected as Board
  President and Georgi Dawson as Vice-President.
     In November, 1975, the Board accepted an alternate bid of $20,921
  submitted by the Inland Construction Company for construction of an all
  weather track at Medicine Lodge High School.
     Mr. Kenneth Ricke and Mr. Jerry Blackwell began four year board member
  terms on July 1, 1977.
     In October, 1977, Mr. Roy Case resigned his position on the Board as a
  result of his move from the community. Mr. Jerry Crutchfield was appointed
  to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Case on December 13, 1977.
     In April, 1978, the board passed a resolution for a four mill capital
  outlay levy of four mills for a period of five years.
     In June, 1979, the Board passed a resolution for a facility utilization
  study for the purpose of making available alternatives to be used in future
  planning.
     In July, 1979, three new board members began four year terms. They were
  Jim McKanna, Maxine Rusk, and Roger House. Mrs. Anna Forbes was also 
  appointed clerk of the board. 
     In August, 1979, the Board accepted a bid  from the Craig Construction
  Company, in the amount of $289,000 for the construction of a new shop
  facility at Medicine Lodge High School.    
                     
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 16