During the early 1930's many of the conveniences that we generally take for granted were not available to most people living in rural America. There were no electric motors, so feed and grain were shoveled by hand. Hay was also pitched by hand. Dairy farmers did their milking by hand in the dim light of a flickering kerosene lantern. There was no refrigeration, so the milk had to be kept on ice. O
n the milk pick up day, the milk cans were carried out to the road. However, if the pickup was not on time, the milk would become too warm and the farmer would watch his long hours of labor result in nothing gained. The farm wife also struggled through her days without electricity. Without running water, there were endless buckets of water to be lugged from a deep well or maybe a spring. Kitchen work frequently involved laboring over the searing heat of a wood stove. Whether it was the long hours of canning fruits and vegetables, wash day, or ironing with the six to seven pound wedge of iron, the wood stove had to be burning, often making the kitchen almost unbearably hot. On May 11, 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration (REA). This agency became the primary source of low interest loans that would help bring electricity and a better life to rural America. During the late 1930's rural electrification was building steam in Kansas. Early in January 1939 farmers living in the Plevna area decided to try to form a new REA Cooperative in rural Rice and Reno Counties. Following a meeting with the REA field representative the first organizational meeting was held on the night of February 7, 1939 at the Mennonite schoolhouse, in Walnut Township in Reno County. The temperature hovered near zero, but the schoolhouse was packed with enthusiastic people. At the conclusion of the meeting, blocks of territory had been outlined with teams consisting of two men, each being assigned to an area. Each block consisted of an area 1 mile wide by 8 miles long. The goal for each team was to interview every resident in each block of territory. George Sidwell, the Rice County Agent, and Don Ingle, the Reno County Agent, were very instrumental in signing up new members during the early years. Joseph Fliginger was the first man to sign an application and in two days applications were coming in rapidly. Organization continued and the Ark Valley Rural Electric Cooperative Association was incorporated. The Articles of Incorporation were filed on March 16, 1939 designating Plevna, Kansas as the principle place of business. A board of directors was named consisting of these men: George Griffin, Nickerson, President; Ed Flickinger, Sterling, Vice-President; Darrel Dunn, Langdon, Secretary; Clarence Fox, Sterling, Treasurer; E. E. Birkey, Plevna; Melville Davidson, Plevna; and Luther McMurphy, Sterling. Rupert G. Martin was selected as counsel for the cooperative. On May 19, 1939 the first loan from REA was received in the amount on $251,000. This was to build 300 miles of line to serve 629 customers. This was later amended to add another 113 miles of line for 162 customers. Finally on Thursday afternoon, November 23, 1939 the first pole was set. Appropriately, this pole was set by the Mennonite schoolhouse where the first organizational meeting was held. Power lines spread across the countryside and on May 17, 1940 the first lines were energized. A big celebration was held in Sterling to commemorate the occasion. On May 9, 1940 the Sterling, Kansas Bulletin published a special edition that was sent to each of the 1,360 cooperative members. A cordial invitation was extended to attend a big barbecue at Sterling Lake with family and friends, with the thought that at least some of those would be able to go home to do their milking and chores by electric light. It truly was a day for celebration. A budding organization, the board established the first permanent office in the Zimmerman Building, 210 South Broadway in Sterling. The board also hired A. B. "Jack" Davis as Project Superintendent for the cooperative. In preparation for energizing the lines the first rate schedule was adopted. An agreement was also signed to buy wholesale power for the cooperative from the municipal power plant in Sterling.
