NEWS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
June 15, 1994


CONTACTS

William J. Rainey                         William V. Turner
Executive Vice President                  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Fourth Financial Corporation              Great Southern Bancorp, Inc.
(316) 292-5339                            (417) 888-4300

                
          Fourth Financial Corporation And Great Southern 
          Bancorp, Inc. Mutually Agree To Terminate Merger

(Wichita, Kansas) --  Officials of Fourth Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: FRTH),
a $7.5-billion bank holding company with offices in Kansas and Oklahoma, and 
Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: GSBC), the holding company of the 
$534-million Great Southern Savings Bank based in Springfield, Missouri, have 
announced their agreement to terminate the proposed merger of Great 
Southern with Fourth Financial.   

William V. Turner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Great Southern 
stated, "Our board of directors today determined it was in the best interests 
of our stockholders to terminate our agreement primarily because we no 
longer believe the negotiated exchange ratio continues to appropriately 
reflect the relative value of our organization.  Our recent strong financial
performance led us to conclude that it would be in the best interests of our 
stockholders for Great Southern to remain independent.  The termination 
of our agreement is in no way a negative reflection on Fourth 
Financial."  Turner added, "We intend to return to Great Southern's proven 
long-term plan of independent growth through internal expansion.  Our board 
remains fully committed to enhancing stockholder value.  In light of Great 
Southern's continued strong core earnings, our board will promptly consider 
the feasibility of a significant stock repurchase program, as well as 
a possible stock split in addition to continuing the previously announced
higher cash dividend payments."

Darrell G. Knudson, Chairman of Fourth Financial Corporation, stated, "We are 
sorry that we are not going to complete the Great Southern merger, 
but we firmly believe that a merger can only be successful if both 
parties are eager to make it succeed."  Knudson added that Missouri continues 
to be an attractive market that holds opportunities for the growth of Fourth 
Financial's quality BANK IV franchise.


Fourth Financial Corporation currently operates 85 offices in 36 Kansas 
communities through its subsidiary, BANK IV Kansas, N.A., and 51 offices in 19 
Oklahoma communities through its subsidiary, BANK IV Oklahoma, N.A.  Great 
Southern Savings Bank has 25 offices in 16 communities in southwest 
and central Missouri.

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