Letters/Correspondence

Benjamin M. Thomas, U.S. Indian Agent at the Pueblo Agency, forwards a petition from Juan Cristobal and Teodosio Duran to visit their children at Carlisle. They note they were the principal supporters of sending students to Carlisle and as a result have been persecuted by others. By visiting and reporting on the condition of their children they…

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…

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…

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 $…

Richard Henry Pratt discusses the appropriation of $20,000 for employees at the Carlisle Indian School and his incorrect interpretation for applying the funds. Pratt indicates that he believed the funds only covered regular employees and not irregular employees and Indian apprentices. As a result, Pratt requests that he be allowed to make…

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 authorization to pay the costs associated with the travel for this treatment.

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.

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.

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.

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…

Charles Hatton, U.S. Indian Agent at the Shoshone 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.

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.

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…

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…

Richard Henry Pratt submits a "Special" Estimate of Funds form for $1,146.77  for areas covering pay of employees, hospital, and contingencies.

Richard Henry Pratt notes that there are several Arapaho students who can serve as an interpreter for the Arapaho and Shoshone Indian party.

Susan Longstreth writes to the Hiram Price, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in support of transferring six Quapaw Nation students from the Emlen Institute to the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to send Duke (Frog) to his home at the Rosebud Agency at government expense due to his poor health.

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

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. Stephens indicates that this is likely the best path for helping Somains and his mother.

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.