School district reorginization in Kansas during 1963 to 1965 reduced
  the number of school districts in Barber County from twenty-two districts
  to two districts. Unified School District No. 255 was designed for South
  Barber County. 
     The interim board of education which was elected to plan and organize
  the new district officially assumed their responsibilities on July 1,
  1965. Robert Sterling, Hardtner, was elected president and provided the
  leadership for the district's first year of operation. Other officers of
  the interim board were L.D. Stevens, Kiowa, vice-president; Paul E. Nelson,
  Kiowa, clerk; Mrs. C.D. McBrayer, Kiowa, treasurer; and Mr. Luke Chapin,
  Medicine Lodge, board attorney. Additional members of the board of education
  were Dean Betty, Hazelton; Kyle Clark, Hardtner; Albert Harbaugh, Kiowa;
  and Glenn Weir, Kiowa. Paul E. Nelson, Kiowa, was elected superintendent
  of schools.
     L.D. Stevens, Kiowa, was elected president, and Kyle Clark, Hardtner,
  vice-president, as the district moved into its first official year as a
  united district. During the year, the administrative offices moved to the
  Parker Building at 512 Main; and the board officially named the district
  South Barber County Unified School District No. 255.
     At the first regular election for board members, Kyle Clark, Hardtner,
  Glenn Weir, Kiowa; and Dean Betty, Hazelton, were re-elected to the board.
  Other officers of the board of education were Mrs. C.D. McBrayer, clerk;
  M.D. Christensen, treasurer; and Luke Chapin, attorney. Paul E. Nelson
  was re-elected superintendent of schools, and Jack Elliot, Keith Stone,
  and Herbert Mowbray were named as building principals.
     Glenn Weir, Kiowa, had the district honor during the 1966-67 school
  year to serve as president of the Kansas Association of School Boards. 
  During the 1967-68 year Mr. Weir served as past-president of the KASD.
     Kyle Clark, Hardtner, was elected president of the board of education,
  and Dean Betty, Hazelton, was elected vice president to serve during the
  1967-68 school year.
     During the year, Glenn Weir moved across town to another board member
  district. Dr. R.L. Baker, Kiowa dentist, was appointed to fill the 
  vacancy created by Mr. Weir's resignation.
     Dean Betty, Hazelton, was elected president of the board of education
  to serve during the 1868-69 school year. Albert Harbaugh, Kiowa, was
  elected vice-president. The school district received another honor this
  year as Paul E. Nelson was elected president of the Kansas superintendents.
  Their organization is known as the Kansas Association of School Adminisrat-
  ors.
     The 1969 school board election, and changes in the School Law, produced
  some changes in the make-up of the board of education. David Wolgamott,
  Hardtner, was elected to replace Bob Sterling, Hardtner, who retired from
  the board. Hugh Cox, Kiowa, won over Dr. Robert Baker, Kiowa, to represent
  East Kiowa on the board. Dr. M.D. Christenson, Kiowa, was appointed the
  seventh member of the board to represent the district at large.
     At the organizational meeting of the board of education for the 1969-70
  year, Dean Betty, Hazelton, was re-elected president, and Hugh Cox, Kiowa,
  was elected vice president. William Sterling, Hardtner was appointed
  treasurer.
     One administrative change occurred in the district as Wesley Rader
  assumed the principalship at Hardtner from Jack Elliott, who moved to Leon.
     Mr. Hugh Cox, Kiowa, was elected president of the board of education
  for the 1970-71 school year and Mr. David Wolgamott was eleted vice-
  president. The other officers were re-appointed for another year.
     The officers of the board of education for the 1971-72 school year
  remained the same as the previous year. Mrs. Leon Eckert assumed the
  responsibility of clerk in March, 1971, after the unexpected death of Mrs.
  C.D. McBrayer, who had been with the Kiowa Schools for several years and
  with USD 255 since unification. The district had a bond election for a
  new high school in October. The architectural firm of Griffith and Benham,
  Wichita, was employed to complete the plans.
     For historical purposes, tax protests by the Natural Gas Utilities
  were causing financial problems in the district. $61,000 in district funds
  were held in protests. The district had received permission to issue No-
  Fund Warrants in the amount of $54,000 if the law suit was not settled by
  April, 1972.
     The school district in October, 1971, voted bonds in the amount of 
  $995,000 to build a new high school. Additional funds were allocated from
  the district Special Capital Outlay Fund. The board hoped that the building
  would be ready for use in September, 1973.
     In regard to the tax protests, the courts ruled against the pipe-line
  companies, and the funds were released.
     The new board was organized for the 1972-73 school year, and Dr. David
  Wolgamott, Hardtner, was elected president and Dr. M.D. Christenson, Kiowa,
  was elected vice-president. All other officers remained the same.
     The 1973-74 school year began with the consolidation of all schools
  within the district. South Barber High is located at Kiowa; South Barber
  Junior High at Hardtner; and South Barber Elementary at Kiowa. Terry L.
  Marshall was the first principal of the new high school. He replaced Keith
  Stone.
     During the preceeding year the district won a court suit against the
  Property Valuation Department on their method of assessment of property.
  However, the Legislature changed the law, and the district lost through
  legislative action.
     Dr. M.D. Christenson, Kiowa, was elected president of the board of
  education, and Mr. Bobbie Sternberger, Hardtner, vice president of the
  board for the 1973-74 school year.
     During the 1973-74 school year the school district joined 78 other
  school districts in losing state aid. The loss of state aid prompted
  several school districts to join forces to take the issue to court in a 
  law suit titled the Cedar Vale Case. Board member Dean Betty and Supt.
  Paul E. Nelson were part of the initial planning group to organize the
  school districts to take the loss of state aid to court.
     Mr. Bobbie Sternberger, Hardtner, was elected president of the board
  of education for the 1974-75 school year, and Mr. L.D. Stevens, Kiowa, 
  was elected vice president.
     In 1975 Ronald Allenbach, Fred Dumler, and Tom Farney were elected to
  the board of education. L.D. Stevens was elected president, and Ronald
  Allenbach, vice president of the board for 1975-76. The law suit by 42
  school districts agains the State was in the State Supreme Court. Mr.
  Bobbie Sternberger resigned from the board, and the board appointed a
  replacement.
     Ronald Allenbach was elected president of the board of education for
  the 1976-77 school year, and Mrs. Rosie Blunk, who was appointed to
  replace Bobbie Sternberger, was elected vice president. Teacher-board 
  negotiations, inflation, higher energy costs, etc., were topics of
  discussion during the year. L.D. Stevens and Albert Harbaugh retired from
  the board after 17 and 18 years of educations service to the community.
  David Meyer and Kent Hill were elected to replace them.
     Mr. Kent A. Hill, Kiowa, was elected president of the board of
  education for the 1978-79 school year, and Mr. Tom Farney, Hazelton, was
  elected vice president. The severe drop in student enrollment and
  reduction of the teaching staff created some problems for the board of
  education during the school year.
     The 1978-79 school year was a busy year for the USD 255 school board
  and staff! This was also the year for board of education member elections
  and four positions were to be filled. Ronald Allenbach and Tom Farney were
  re-elected to the board, while Bert Gillig and Daryl Schwerdtfeger replaced
  Fred Dumler and Rosie Blunk.
     Kent Hill and Tom Farney were re-elected president and vice president
  of the board for 1979-80. Morris Gillaspie was employed as senior high
  principal to replace Terry Marshall, who became superintendent of schools
  at Lewis, Kansas.
                  
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 20