Following are a few items taken from each week of every issue of the Index during the year 1944.The past year has seen many Barber county boys and girls leave for the armed services. Their names have been omitted for several reasons.
In scanning over these brevities you will be reminded of some things you would like to forget and some will perhaps bring back to mind items that you had forgotten.
January 6.
Sale of the Sweet Shop by Guy Hittle to Mrs. Hazel Whitehead was announced.
County Christmas seal deposits totaled $708.23.
The county's fourth war loan quota was $584,900.00.
Mrs. Wm. Palmer, age 82, died January 4.
Robert C. Lake gets commission in U. S. Navy.January 13.
Sen. Riley MacGregor to represent state at Chicago.
Ray Strain, Red Cross representative, at the Lions club.
Blizzard sends mercury to four degrees.
Mrs. Florence Scott hired as new sixth grade teacher.January 20.
Announce three new tests for Barber county.
Red Cross sewing room open only on Saturdays.
Warmer weather returns to Medicine Lodge.January 27.
GOP central committee meets here Saturday.
Hazelton first to make bond quota.
Ralph Massey, 53, well known Sun City rancher dies.
Home nursing classes to be organized.February 3.
Pastime Theater collects $176.50 in polio drive.
Barber county quota for Red Cross is $5,300.
Tuberculosis campaign in county nets $744.
T-Sgt. A. H. Redwine, Lake City, receives Oak Leaf Cluster.February 10.
Bond premiere at Pastime Tuesday, February 15.
Call eighteen fathers for physical exams.
Spring weather continues in Medicine Lodge.
Barber county war loan drive still lagging.February 17.
Charles Esser, 83, dies Monday morning.
Barber county over top in bond drive.
District court in session Monday.
Remodel interior of First National Bank.February 24.
J. H. Trice is Kansas Mason's grand master.
Basketball tourney here March 1-2-3-4.
Vic Ward new Lion member.March 2.
U. C. Herr, former Index editor dies in California.
Ralph Knight hurt at Gyp Mill Thursday.
Capt. Burns Simpson's DFC presented to mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Simpson.March 9.
Barber county over top in Red Cross war fund campaign.
Sgt. Lester McCormick killed in England, Feb. 22.
Sgt. Paul Hart veteran of 40 combat missions.
Bill Forsyth earns letter at Penn U.March 16.
Medicine Lodge gets 1.78 inches of moisture.
Five announce for Barber county offices.
Six deaths in county during past week.
A bomb explosion causes death of Sgt. Lester McCormick.March 23.
Lt. A. A. Case is decorated.
First in state to make Red Cross quota.
Coopers announce sale of Variety store here.March 30.
Dr. C. V. Moore moves office to South Main street.
Gene Poland, Isabel, killed in plane collision.
Many teachers resign here.
No trace of army deserter who escaped here.April 6.
Mrs. June Stamper opens new beauty shop.
Freeman is county's biggest oil producer.
National Gypsum wins first place in safety contest.
Skinner gasser important strike.April 13.
Howard sells grocery store.
Harry Newkirk sells Holliday residence to Al Wheat.
Miss Alice Thompson furnishes musical program for Lions.April 20.
Barber county raises $8,270 for Red Cross.
Alan Hibbard reelected to school board.
Teacher shortage serious here.
April showers fall here Tuesday night.April 27.
Rain Pollutes Medicine Lodge water supply.
Men under 26 get first call.
Forty-one graduate from rural schools.May 4.
Tornado hits near Platt.
Pearl Lillieqvist wins scholarship.
Lt. Russell B. Smith, former Sun City man, dies in plane crash.May 11.
Accept 21 for navy, 14 for army from county.
Arch Rankin, 68, dies suddenly from heart attack.
Thirty-five to graduate in class of 1944.
Seven teachers to leave here.May 18.
Henry Kinsey dies Friday in Hardtner.
M. L. S. track men win honors at Bucklin.
G. I.'s to present show for hospital fund.
Summer weather arrives in Medicine Lodge.May 25.
Barber county's Fifth War Loan quota $647,280.
Sun City has two graduates.
Farm labor situation is serious here.June 1.
Medicine Lodge gets 3.34 inches of moisture.
Fred Benefiel to head Lions.
Medicine Lodge shows small gain in population to past year.June 8.
J. H. Rice to Masonic meeting in Omaha, Nebraska.
Fifth war Loan Drive begins next Monday.
Five from here to attend Boys State at Wichita.June 15.
Boy Scouts receive awards.
Harvest is under way in Barber county.June 22.
Sgt. Vernon Coss, Isabel, was wounded in France.
Two contests in Barber county primary.
Wheat harvest getting good start here.June 29.
Sgt. Alvin Hoppes, Sharon, dies of wounds.
New wheat is pouring into Medicine Lodge.
Hot weather holds away in Medicine Lodge.
Barber county makes half of bond quota.July 6.
Barber county falling down on bond drive.
Bond premiere here Tuesday.
County finishing one of biggest wheat harvests.July 13.
Barber County bond total is $845,179.
About 3,000,000 bushels of wheat in county.
Christian church sells about $2100 in war bonds.
Bank deposits two million for all time high.July 20.
Plans being made for Barber county fair.
Phillips to drill another test on county.
High winds here Sunday, but bring only a shower.July 27.
Naomi Page receives Sears-Roebuck Foundation scholarship.
Funeral services held Monday for Mrs. George Harris, 28.
Mrs. Martha Lonker, 91, Barber county pioneer dies.August 3.
Barber county casts light primary vote.
Purpose county tax levy of 6.61 mills.
Kiowa secures Clarkson and Arnold plant.
Mercury soars to 106 Tuesday in Medicine Lodge.August 10.
Mercury soars to 110 Thursday for season's highest.
County teachers to meet in Medicine Lodge August 14 to 18.August 17.
Fire destroys portion of Sharon Main street.
Barber county gets two more gassers.
County wheat average approximately 20 bushels to the acre.
Rites for Pvt. Marion McShea, Saturday.August 24.
Cpl. Irwin E. Axline is killed in South Pacific.
War Strikes Double Blow At Saddler Family
Barber county fair begins Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Cregar move to California.August 31.
School opens Monday. More rain falls in Medicine Lodge during the week.
Begin plans for war fund drive.
Pvt. Cecil Hood, Kiowa soldier, dies in action in France.September 7.
Record breaking crowds attend annual fair.
Pfc. Clyde Hakanson, Isabel, Killed In Action.
Cool weather holds away in Medicine Lodge.
Announce new oil test for Barber county.
Auto accident injuries fatal to Ernest Gilges, Sun City.
August Achenbach, 76, dies suddenly.September 14.
Plans to improve Medicine Lodge water system being made.
Champlin to drill another test here.
Indians play Pratt as football season opener.September 21.
Young Republicans organize here.
Report another pipe line for Barber county.
VanVoohis heads Southern Kansas league.
Five leave for physical exams.September 28.
Mrs. Simpson now auxiliary head.
Patty Ward breaks arm in fall.
Rita Schnells falls from second story of her home.
Robert Tyrell, 85, dies in early morning fire.
Lt. Wayne Howard missing in action.October 5.
Indians lose close game to Harper.
Champlin makes new location.
War Fund Drive off to good start.
J. T. Moore, 84, dies.
Lt. Robert R. Smith awarded Bronze Star.October 12.
Pfc. Norman Raleigh missing in action.
Hit another producer in Whelan pool.
Lyceum series opens Tuesday evening.
E.J. Gaddie, 70, Sharon dies.
Chilly weather hits Medicine Lodge.October 19.
Funeral rites held for Mrs. C. S. Page, 84.
Miss Margaret Benefiel, 80, dies Friday.
Barber county first to make fund quotas.
Draft board has 12 1A men left in county.October 26.
Congressman Hope to speak on Saturday night.
Mrs. Elda Fair dies.
Riley MacGregor buys property from Frank Chapin.November 2.
Indians drop hard battle to St. John.
Paul Henderson, Wellington, new school music supervisor.
Emmit Evans manager at Kansas Milling Co. elevator.November 9.
Barber county war loan quota is $511,510.
Barber county gives big majority to Gov. Dewey.
Medicine Lodge receives about an inch of rain.November 16.
Pfc. E. I. Walker killed in action in Italy.
Rehearsals start for junior play.
Football queen to be crowned at game Friday.
Sixth War Loan drive begins Monday.November 23.
Big crowd attends BPWC amateur program.
Miss Mildred B. Johnson hired to teach kindergarten and grade music.
Burt McKinley hit by truck.
Capt. Howard J. Curran an air ace.November 30.
Draft cell takes all 1-A men in county.
Mercury drops to 19 degrees here Sunday night.
Barber lagging in Sixth War Loan drive.December 7.
Medicine Lodge on list for airport work.
Large crowd enjoys junior play.
Hardtner and Kiowa make Sixth War Loan quota.December 14.
Barber county makes over all bond quota.
Ed Pfaff heads Farm Bureau.
John Forshee killed when struck by car.
Tuberculin tests to be given to Barber county school children.December 21.
Highway tragedy on Saturday claims lives of Cloyce M. Hamilton, publisher of Barber County Index, and W. R. McCulley, banker.
Legion Auxiliary to sponsor teenage dance December 28.December 28.
Walter Lilleqvist gets Skelly award.
Many take TB tests in Barber county.
Car accident costing the lives of Cloyce Hamilton, Bill McCulley, Maurice Plummer, and Cpl. John K. Morgan on record as unavoidable.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!