Documents
The Documents section features digitized copies of documents relating to the history of the school. These documents include correspondence, graduation pamphlets, and other forms of ephemera, and have been digitized by Digital Resource Center staff. Today, these documents are preserved in a number of locations, including the Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections as well as private collections.
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Date: September 16, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt comments that he has made arrangements to allow six large boys to remain in their summer outing homes. In addition, 17 other boys and 6 girls were found homes for the fall period. Pratt notes that he consulted with the students on their preferences and that the school will provide clothing and books while their board will be paid for by their morning and evening labor.
Pratt ends by saying that the summer outing program saw 109 students placed in country homes with six returned due to dissastifaction from patrons. He notes that many students say rapid gain in their ability to speak English due to their isolation.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Outings, Health and Medicine
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: 
Extended Outing Finalized and Summer Outing Report
Date: September 30 - October 18, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter that was originally sent to Benjamin M. Thomas, U.S. Indian Agent at the Pueblo Agency, from S. A. Bentley a teacher in the Indian Service. Bentley's letter concerns the wishes of Frank Cushing's parents to have his body repatriated to Zuni. Pratt comments that this is not a simple matter and references the case of White Thunder who after seeing his son's resting place at Carlisle was satisfied with having his son's body remain at Carlisle. Pratt concludes by saying the matter can be settled if the Pueblo Chiefs visit the school as was previously discussed by Thomas.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Death
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Repatriate of Frank Cushing's Body to Zuni
Date: October 8, 1881
Estimate of funds for the fourth quarter of 1881 amounting to $12,689.55 for areas covering shops, traveling expenses, hospital, contingencies, rations, the pay of employees, clothing, the farm, and special allowance. Richard H. Pratt also requests additional funds amounting to $5,000 for regular employee pay, $550 for Indian apprentices, and $150 for irregular employees.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Estimate of Funds, Employee Pay
Date: October 18, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt details the course of actions he took to treat Steve Willamson, a member of the Arapaho Nation, by sending him and the school physician to the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pratt requests that the costs associated with the travel for this treatment be approved.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Health and Medicine
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Date: October 25, 1881
E. Whittley returns to the H. Price, the Comptroller of Indian Affairs, an account of William McMichael of the Indian Training School to show the differences in purchases from normal.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Cover Letter for Return of Indian Training School Accounts
Date: October 29, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs of his acceptance to attend the American Missionary Association annual meeting. He notes that it will allow him to return an exhibit on display in Boston, Massachusetts at no expense to the Government. In his absence A. J. Standing is in charge of the School.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Leave of Absence
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Date: October 28, 1881 - November 4, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt asks Samuel J. Kirkwood, Secretary of the Interior, through Hiram Price, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for more oversight from the Department of the Interior or the Commissioner in overseeing the Carlisle Indian School.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Call for more Supervision from the Interior Department
Date: November 21, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt lends support to the request of the Northern Arapaho U.S. Indian Agent that the Chiefs from the Northern Arapaho be allowed to visit Carlisle as was promised when they sent their children. Pratt notes that Northern Arapaho students are excellent students and a visit from the Chiefs should serve to strengthen the argument of sending students to Carlisle.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Date: November 24, 1881
Charles Hatton, U.S. Indian Agent at the Shosone and Bannock Agency, writes asking for assistance from Michigan Senator Thomas W. Ferry in allowing him to bring a delegation of five Arapaho Chiefs to Carlisle and Washington D.C.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Hatton Requests Help from Senator Ferry
Date: November 24, 1881
Charles Hatton, U.S. Indian Agent for the Northern Arapaho Agency, seeks authority to bring five Northern Arapaho Chiefs to Carlisle and Washington D.C. to visit their children. The Chiefs were promised when they sent their children that they would be allowed to visit and are seeking to have this promised fulfilled.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Visitors
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Proposal to Bring Northern Arapaho Chiefs to Carlisle
Date: November 28, 1881 - December 5, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt forwards two letters along with his recommendation that Antoinette Williams, a member of the Navajo Nation, be allowed to be enrolled at the Carlisle Indian School. The two forwarded letters indicate that Williams was brought east to the Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey by J. V. Landerdale as Landerdale hoped she would become a teacher back in New Mexico.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Background and Request to Enroll Antoinette Williams
Date: December 1, 1881 - December 12, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from Israel H. Johnson seeking to have six students from the Quapaw Nation transferred to the Carlisle Indian School. Johnson notes that the students believed they were going to Carlisle and were as a result unhappy about being unable to learn a trade in addition to their schooling. Pratt believed that the request should be granted despite the gender imbalance at Carlisle.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Enrolling Six Quapaw Students from the Emlen Institute
Date: December 4, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt submits a "Special" Estimate of Funds form for $1,146.77 for areas covering pay of employees, hospital, and contingencies.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Estimate of Funds
View Document: Special Estimate of Funds, Fourth Quarter 1881
Date: December 6, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt notes that there are several Arapaho students who can serve as an interpreter for the Arapaho and Shoshone Indian party.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Potential Interpreters Among Arapaho Students
Date: December 12, 1881
Susan Longstreth writes to the Hiram Price, the Commissoner of Indian Affairs, in support of transfering six Quapaw Nation students from the Emlen Institute to the Carlisle Indian School.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Date: December 13, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to send Duke to his home at the Rosebud Agency at government expense due to his poor health.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Authority Sought to Return Duke to His Home
Date: December 15, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt notes that the Carlisle Indian School can accept the Emlen Institute students from the Quapaw Nation with no additional increase in school staff.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Room for Emlen Quapaw Students at Carlisle
Date: December 17, 1881
The Secretary of the Board of Trustees for the Emlen Institute Israel H. Johnson, writes in support of transferring the six Quapaw Nation students from the Emlen Institute to the Carlisle Indian School.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
Date: January 4, 1882
L. J. Miles, U.S. Indian Agent at the Osage Agency, sends a petition from the Osage Council to send their children to school. In particular Chief Josephs children and some other boys are to be sent to the Osage Mission School. Miles also notes that he believes he can find up to twenty students to be sent to Carlisle or a similar school with half the party consisting of girls if there is room.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Transmission of Osage Petition to Send Children to School
Date: January 6, 1882
Richard Henry Pratt seeks to visit Washington D.C. in order to advocate for the interests of the Carlisle Indian School in addition to the education of Indian students in general.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Authority Sought by Pratt to Visit Washington D.C.
Date: January 11, 1882
Jose La Cruz Marcus, the Governor of the San Felipe, and Lorenzo Duran, the Captain of War, send Richard Henry Pratt a note of appreciation for educating the Pueblo students.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Note of Appreciation from the Pueblo Nation
Date: January 12, 1882
Green Bay Agency Indian Agent E. Stephens proposes transferring Charles Somains from the Hampton Institute to the Carlisle Indian School rather than having him return home. Somains indicates that this is likely the best path for helping Somains and his mother.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Transfer
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Proposal to Transfer Charles Somains to Carlisle
Date: January 12, 1882
Seminole Chiefs from the Wewoka Indian Territory inquire from Hiram Price about the possibility of sending ten girls and ten boys to be educated at the Carlisle Indian School.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Seminole Chiefs Inquire about Sending Children to Carlisle
Date: January 15, 1882
Ponca Chief Standing Bear requests that his nephew William Snake be allowed to return home during his vacation from the Carlisle Indian School.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request for William Snake to Spend Vacation at Home
Date: January 15, 1882
Louis Hamilton and John Pappan, two members of the Ponca Nation, request to be enrolled at the Carlisle Indian School.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: John Pappan and Louis Hamilton Enrollment Request