The pioneers understood the value of knowledge; for while not all
  knowledge is gained in schools, it is in school that we learn most rapidly.
  As a result of this thinking, the pioneers were quick to provide the best
  education they could afford for their children.
     Even before Kansas was organized as a territory it had what was known
  as Mission Schools for the Indians. These schools were supported by churches
  from the east, and the first one that we have a record of as a public school
  was in the present site of Kansas City, KS., which was organized in 1844.
  Others came along such as a private school at Council Grove, KS., in 1855.
     After the organization of Kansas Territory, the settlers were anxious to
  open schools but since the government was not organized the people had no
  way of levying a tax to provide money. In the summer of 1855 the bogus
  legislature enacted school laws copied from the school code of Missouri; but
  the free state settlers refused to build schools or to pay taxes under the
  bogus law. In 1858 tax supported schools were first organized. History
  records the development of these very primative schools.
     The basis of our present day schools is in the Wyandotte Constitution,
  which provides that "the legislature shall encourage the promotion of
  intellectual, moral, scientific and agricultural improvement by establishing
  a uniform system of common schools and a small portion for institutions of
  higher learning." The government set aside sections 16 and 36 of every 
  township for school purposes. It provided that 5% of the proceeds of sale
  of public land went to the state school fund.
     Barber County organized schools early in 1874. District #10 Rutlinger,
  then District #16, Doles, followed by Rock School #14, in 1879. The
  organization of other districts followed rather quickly, and since transpor-
  tation was slow they were located about four miles apart. Ninty-one districts
  in all were organized. Several towns in the county organized schools; Lake
  City, Sun City, Sharon, Isabel, Hardtner, Hazelton, Kiowa, and Medicine
  Lodge, each operating a grade school and a high school when reorganization
  came. Because of lack of number of children in the rural areas this was a
  means to continue the rural school.
     Jennie McKinley was County Superintendent during this period. There were
  95 schools in the area. She had stressed fine buildings, libraries in each 
  school, better ways of checking progress of pupils in the schools, better
  qualification of teachers, and excellent insitutes for the teachers. She
  retired in 1969 when the Kansas Legislature abolished the office and a state
  commissioner was to be appointed with advice of five elected representatives.
     During this period, Medicine Lodge schools operated under two independant
  school boards, Dist. #1 for grade and intermediate schools, and Dist. #7 
  for Rural High School.
     The Kansas Legislature passed the SCHOOL UNIFICATION ACT (72-67340) Jan.
  1, 1963. Under this law the districts in Barber County were reduced to two:
  North District #254 operated schools in Sharon and Medicine Ldoge, and Dist.
  #255 in Hardtner and Kiowa. Fine school buildings, broadened curriculum,
  libraries, qualified teaching staff, school lunch programs, fine athletic
  program, counselors, bus transportation, etc., attest to the advantages of
  unification.
     
                  
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 16
     Submitted by: Hyacinth Kindig and Jenny McKinley