Although I was born in Harper County, I spent all of my childhood and
  teenage life enjoying beautiful Barber County. It is, indeed, a beautiful
  area of the country. I have many fond memories of the hay rack rides in
  the Cedar Hills, the Barber County Fairs, and many 4-H events in different
  parts of the county.
     I attended grade school at Hazelton, where I continued until the sixth
  grade when my sister, two brothers, and I began school at Kiowa. Grade
  school, was rather uneventful for me. I remember trying my talents at
  gymnastics while at Hazelton in the third grade. I believe I ended up with
  seven stiches in my chin! Needless to say, I did not pursue that sport.
     The most outstanding memory that comes to mind in regard to school years
  at Kiowa was the first week of school there. My youngest brother, Scott,
  was convinced school was definitly not for him and consistently ran away
  from school for five days. The most intriguing part of the story was the
  parade of people who tried to catch him as he made his way from the grade
  school to the high school which was two blocks away, where my mother was
  teaching English.
     I was very active in high school as I enjoyed four years of Band Days,
  Speech Festivals, sports activities, etc. My summers were spent in the
  Kiowa Dairy Bar, the Hazelton Co-op, or the Sharon Valley State Bank.
  Needless to say, I learned a lot living and working in the three small
  communities.
     After my high school graduation from Kiowa High School in May, 1970,
  I attended Kansas State University. I continued there for two years. I
  was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Social Sorority and Little Sister of
  the ATO Fraternity. In pursuit of a nursing degree, I headed west to Denver,
  Colorado. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and a minor in 
  English from Loretto Heights College in Denver. I lived and worked in Denver
  until June of 1976 when I moved to wichita. As a registered nurse, I worked
  for a time at Wesley Hospital, and I am presently working for a Pediatrician
  in his private office. I married Larry Gass on June 4, 1977, and we live in
  Wichita where Larry is a personnel consultant. Larry was born and raised in
  Wichita and graduated from North High School and Wichita State University.
     I am one of four children of Harvey and Wilda Mathews who have enjoyed
  living and working on the homestead of my great-grandfather, Frank McReynolds,
  in the beautiful Cedar Hills area of Barber County.
                 
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 188 
     Submitted by: Kristi Lou Mathews Gass