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.
Search Documents
Please Note: The Search box above only searches Documents. To search the entire site, use the search box on the top left.
You are searching the title, description, and location fields. File attachments are not searched.
Browse Documents
May 16, 1881 - May 20, 1881
J. M. Howard writes to Richard Henry Pratt seeking to enroll John Leecy of the White Earth Agency at Carlisle. Howard provides a recommendation for Leecy along with the Agent at White Earth Agency and notes that Leecy would be able to pay his way…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Enroll John Leecy725.6 KB
May 23, 1881
John Cook, a U.S. Indian Agent writes on behalf of Cook, a member of the Sioux Nation, to visit the Carlisle Indian School at his own expense.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Cook Requests to Visit Carlisle School376.6 KB
May 23, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt outlines a proposal for sending students from the Carlisle Indian School to local families in the Cumberland Valley and Bucks County. Pratt justifies the program by noting that any cost will be offset by savings in food as…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Initial Proposal for Local Outing Program639.93 KB
May 23 - June 8, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt forwards to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs two letters he received from the Rosebud Agency. One concerns the deaths of Rosebud students while at Carlisle and the desire of the Rosebud Sioux Chiefs to educate their children…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Letters Sent to Pratt from the Rosebud Agency Regarding Return of Children1.71 MB
May 23, 1881
A Council of Sioux Chiefs including Spotted Tail, Two Strike, White Thunder, and Swift Bear from the Rosebud Agency writes to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to protest the deaths of their children at Carlisle and asks for a local school in…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Deaths
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Sioux Chiefs Protest Deaths of their Children and Ask for Local School905.98 KB
May 23, 1881
A Council of Sioux Chiefs including Spotted Tail, Two Strike, White Thunder, and Swift Bear from the Rosebud Agency writes to President James A. Garfield to protest the deaths of their children at Carlisle and asks for a local school in order to…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Deaths
Format: Letters/Correspondence
May 23, 1881
A council of Sioux Chiefs including Spotted Tail, Two Strike, White Thunder, and Swift Bear from the Rosebud Agency writes to the Secretary of the Interior to protest the deaths of their children at Carlisle and asks for a local school in order…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Sioux Chiefs Protest Deaths of their Children to Interior and Ask for Local School891.38 KB
May 30, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt notifies the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that the former Kiowa prisoner Tsaitkopeta who has been living in Tarrytown, New York with Dr. H. Caruthers wishes to return home to the Kiowa and Comanche Agency. Pratt notes that…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Return Tsaitkopeta Home427.7 KB
June 1, 1881 - June 20, 1881
Cook, a member of the Sioux Nation, writes to his daughter Grace at the Carlisle Indian School. He writes that others in the Rosebud Agency are attempting to have their children returned from Carlisle but he does not think they will succeed. If…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Cook Writes to his Daughter Grace at Carlisle660.97 KB
June 2, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt provides an update on the enrollment status of William Snake and Fred Smith. Pratt notes that William Snake and White Rabbit are the same individual. He also writes that the money for the two students would be better served if…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Enrollment Status of William Snake and Fred Smith764.76 KB
June 7, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt seeks authority to return eight students home due to measles and scarlet fever outbreaks. To allow them to travel more comfortably, Pratt requests a response via telegraph allowing him to send them on a through car to Kansas…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request Telegraph Authority to Return Eight Sick Students Home838.68 KB
June 20, 1881 - June 27, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from Isaiah Lightner, U.S. Indian Agent at the Santee Agency, regarding the enrollment of William Snake, White Rabbit, and White Mouse as members of the Ponca Nation by Standing Bear. As a result of the…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Notification of Change in Nation Enrollment Status of Three Students618.18 KB
June 20, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt submits a "Special" Estimate of Funds form for $1,610.80 for travel expenses and pay of irregular employees.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
View Document: Special Estimate of Funds, Second Quarter 18811.45 MB
June 25, 1881
Estimate of funds for the third quarter of 1881 amounting to $13,959.81 for areas covering subsistence, pay of employees, clothing, the farm, supplies, contingencies, and special allowance.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
View Document: Estimate of Funds, Third Quarter 18811.59 MB
June 29, 1881
C. H. Hepburn, Carlisle Indian School Physician, informs Richard Henry Pratt that some mattresses should be destroyed due to scarlet fever contamination.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Recommendation for Destruction of Mattresses due to Scarlet Fever425.76 KB
July 4, 1881 - July 18, 1881
Black Bear writes to Richard Henry Pratt asking for him to write to the Department of Indian Affairs to allow his son Paul Black Bear to visit him during his trip to Washington D.C. Black Bear notes that he has not been allowed permission to…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Black Bear Requests Son Visit Him in Washington D.C.365.82 KB
July 23, 1881 - August 5, 1881
Blue Teeth writes to Richard Henry Pratt seeking his help in order to be included in Spotted Tail's delegation. Blue Teeth writes that he would like to go east in order to get a set of false teeth as well as visiting his children at Carlisle.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Blue Teeth Desires to be Included in Sioux Delegation708.57 KB
July 28, 1881
Kihega, a chief of the Iowa Nation, requests funds to allow him, his wife, and an interpreter to visit the Carlisle Indian School to see their children through the U.S. Indian Agent at the Great Nemaha Agency, A. Brosius.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Kihega Requests Funds to Visit Carlisle498.01 KB
July 28, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt requests that he be allowed to extend the outings of certain students until the winter in order to allow them to attend the country schools located near their patrons.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Proposal for Extended Outings391.14 KB
August 11, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt recommends the return of Pollock, Max, and Oliver Spotted Tail to Carlisle if an opportunity presents itself rather than having the cost born by their family.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Recommendation of Returning Children of Spotted Tail to Carlisle396.33 KB
August 12, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt endorsees a request from the Sisseton Agency U.S. Indian Agent that a number of men be allowed to enroll at Carlisle as they offer to pay their own transportation. Pratt notes that despite the school having more than enough…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Sisseton Agency Request to Send Students to Carlisle606.21 KB
August 15, 1881
J. M. Haworth, Inspector, details various events in the Pueblo Agency including opposition to the schooling at the agency. Haworth reports that much of the opposition is a result of the religious nature of the schooling. He also notes that…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Report on Various Dissatisfactions in the Pueblo Agency1.07 MB
August 17, 1881
Benjamin M. Thomas, U.S. Indian Agent for the Pueblo Indian Agency, requests on behalf of the Pueblo Nation to take a delegation of eight individuals to visit their children at Carlisle and also to visit Washington D.C. Thomas also requests…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request of Pueblo Indians to Visit Carlisle and Washington795.73 KB
August 22, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt inquires into the number of visitors to expect from the delegation currently in Washington D.C. He also suggests that the delegation along with their children take a picnic to Luray Caverns in Virginia.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Inquiry into Number of Visitors to Expect at Carlisle366.9 KB
September 1, 1881
Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to pay for the expenses of returning to their homes Gilbert and Norman due to their poor health.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Send Gilbert and Norman Home546.9 KB