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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November 1, 1879
A card which records Richard Henry Pratt's appointment as Superintendent of an "Industrial School for Indians at Carlisle, Pa." Another note on the card indicates that Pratt's appointment was "transferred from the Appointment Division to the…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Legal and Government Documents
View Document: Appointment Card of Richard Henry Pratt as Superintendent384.51 KB
November 1, 1879
Richard H. Pratt submits a "Special" Estimate of Supplies for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 1879 amounting to $24.99, allowing Pratt to purchase postage stamps. The form includes a note that the postage stamps will allow students to write to…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Students Writing Home
View Document: Request for Authority to Purchase Postage Stamps for Student Letters486.82 KB
November 3, 1879
Samuel Chapman Armstrong of the Hampton Institute writes to Richard Henry Pratt about transferring some students, including Menominee boys and Yellow Bird, to Carlisle. Armstrong also discusses a visit to Carlisle on a trip north.
Repository: Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Topics: Student Transfers
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Armstrong Discusses Transfers to Carlisle with Pratt668.26 KB
November 4, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt writes to Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra Hayt, requesting $4000 be transferred to his credit for the purposes of settling debts and paying owed salaries. A note in the file suggests that the Commissioner had a total of $…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request for Fund Transfer for Salaries and Debts2.81 MB
November 4, 1879
Agent Charles Crissey informs Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. A. Hayt that Agent Stephens is there with two students for the Carlisle Indian School and two for Hampton Institute. Crissey notes that he is also with Cheyenne Chief Little No Heart…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Transportation of Four Students and Cheyenne Chief153.25 KB
November 4, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt writes to Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra Hayt, requesting permission to spend $1000 on cold weather clothing for students. Pratt notes that supplies requested two months previous had not yet arrived, and that cold weather…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Uniforms and Clothing
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Urgent Request for Cold-Weather Clothing2.55 MB
November 5, 1879
Samuel Chapman Armstrong of the Hampton Institute writes to Richard Henry Pratt inquiring whether Etadleuh still has the key to the Medium Cottage where Clark Mills took plaster casts of the heads of prisoners from Ft. Marion. Armstrong also…
Repository: Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Armstrong Requests Key from Etadleuh via Pratt932.12 KB
November 5, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt requests approved funds be transferred to his credit, so that supplies can be purchased.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Financial Affairs - Management
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request for Fund Transfer for Supplies Purchases1.75 MB
November 6, 1879
Frank D. Karr, Superintendent of Warehouse, informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that one case has shipped to Carlisle and that he has invoices for two more, which he will ship immediately.
Note: This item was copied from U.S.…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Cases of Supplies en route to Carlisle Indian School97.64 KB
November 6, 1879
Telegram from Richard Henry Pratt noting the arrival of Agent Crissey with Sisseton, Standing Rock, and Cheyenne River Sioux children, Green Bay Menominee children, and Chief Little No Heart at Carlisle. Pratt suggests that all these children…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Notice of Arrival of Sioux and Menominee Students1.8 MB
November 6-19, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt forwards to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs a letter, sent to General Samuel Armstrong of the Hampton Institute by Green Bay agent E. Stephens. Stephens requests that two students just sent to Carlisle, Joseph Wishecoppy […
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Transfers
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request for Transfer of Menominee Boys from Carlisle to Hampton2.53 MB
November 6, 1879
Telegram from Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra A. Hayt to Captain Richard Henry Pratt suggesting that he use his judgement about sending along to Hampton some of the students recently brought to Carlisle.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Telegram to Pratt Regarding Sending Some Students to Hampton1.42 MB
November 7, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt writes to Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra Hayt regarding the quality of clothing provided to Carlisle Indian School students. Pratt complains that the partial order of clothing he received from the Bureau is not durable or…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Uniforms and Clothing
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Complaint Regarding Quality of Student Clothing4.45 MB
November 7, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt informs Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra Hayt that, at the request of Hampton Institute director General Samuel Armstrong, six Sisseton Sioux children and two Menominee boys from Green Bay, Wisconsin will be retained at…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Transfers
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Retaining Sisseton Sioux and Menominee Students at Carlisle1.66 MB
November 11, 1879
Samuel Chapman Armstrong of the Hampton Institute writes to Richard Henry Pratt to make arrangements for Armstrong to visit Carlisle while in Philadelphia.
Repository: Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Topics: Visits by Notable People
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Armstrong Arranges Travel to Carlisle with Pratt528.88 KB
November 11, 1879
Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz grants Richard Henry Pratt authority to purchase $25 of stamps for students to use to correspond with their parents.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Students Writing Home
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Authority to Purchase Postage Stamps for Student Use152.51 KB
November 12, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt acknowledges receipt of numerous boxes of clothing and other supplies, including an organ for the chapel.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Acknowledgement of Received Supplies1.69 MB
November 12, 1879
Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz authorizes Richard Henry Pratt to visit New York City and spend $2,000 to purchase a cooking range, clothing, furniture, and supplies.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Authority to Purchase a Cooking Range, Clothing, and Furniture274.07 KB
November 13, 1879
Richard H. Pratt provides updates on the progress he's made since Sunday. Most notably, Pratt has organized the male students into companies, and they now occupy eight rooms instead of five, the bedding has arrived, and they've started building…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Organization of Boys into Companies, Arrival of Bedding, and Construction on Chapel174.39 KB
November 13, 1879
Captain Richard Henry Pratt writes to Ezra H. Hayt, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, regarding the first groups of Sioux, Menominee Ponca, Pawnee, Kiowa, Comanche, Wichita, Seminole, Cheyenne, and Arapaho children and young adults brought to the…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence, Reports
View Document: Report on First Three Parties of Students Brought to the Carlisle Indian School3.67 MB
November 15-17, 1879
Samuel Wetzel, Superintendent of Building and Repairs, prepares a blueprint and estimate of cost, amounting to $1,165.94, for the chapel and assembly room. Richard H. Pratt forwards both documents to Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. A. Hayt and…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: New Building Construction
View Document: Estimate of Cost and Blueprints for Chapel and Assembly Room1.01 MB
November 15, 1879
Refers to proceeding of a Board of Survey at Carlisle Barracks of Public Property transferred to Indian Department.
Note no document is attached.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234),…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Founding of the School
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Refers to Board of Survey Transferring Public Property to Indian Department41.36 KB
November 16, 1879 - December 24, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt forwards two letters to Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. A. Hayt and gives his side of the story regarding a disagreement over the price of beef supplied for the students recruited for Carlisle while they waited at the…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Dispute over Beef Pricing for Recruited Students at Rosebud Agency384.33 KB
November 17, 1879
Richard Henry Pratt forwards to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs a letter, penned by James E. Rhodes of Germantown, Pennsylvania. Rhodes asks if the son of one of his Seneca friends, John Kennedy, might be allowed to enroll at Carlisle. Pratt…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Enroll Seneca Student1.84 MB
November 19, 1879
Surgeon J. H. Frantz informs Richard Henry Pratt that only 30 of the 158 students have been vaccinated. Pratt forwards Frantz's comments to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and requests to purchase 140 vaccines.
Note: This item was…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Purchase 140 Vaccines for Students161.5 KB