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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December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that Chief White Thunder's son, Ernest, is very sick and may die. Pratt believes that it's "entirely his fault" and that he "wants to die."
Note: This item was copied from U.S…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Illness, Student Deaths
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Potentially Terminal Illness of Ernest (Knocks Off)135.71 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that his students are very hard on their clothes and that many of them have outgrown their clothing from a year ago. He requests to spend $2,000 on materials needed to manufacture new…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request for Funds to Purchase Materials to Manufacture School Uniforms209.66 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt requests that the Commissioner of Indian Affairs approves spending $300 to convert the stable to a gymnasium for the male students. Pratt explains that they moved the animals to the rented school farm and no longer use the…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Convert Stable to Gymnasium142.92 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt requests to purchase 300 washable bedspreads and blankets for the male students in order to increase cleanliness. Pratt notes that he believes it will cost $495 or less.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Living Conditions
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Purchase 300 Washable Bedspreads and Blankets142.89 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt requests to purchase livestock amounting to $1,000 to stock the new school farm. Pratt notes that he would like to purchase 4 horses or mules, 12 cows, 1 blooded bull, 25 sheep, 2 sows, 1 boar, and 50 chickens.
Note:…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Purchase 95 Animals for the School Farm145.58 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt requests to purchase a variety of school supplies in the open market amounting to $1,100 during the first quarter of 1881.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Purchase Supplies, First Quarter 1881147.89 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to kill two worn out mules.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79, "Letters…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Put Down Two Unhealthy Mules138.81 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt requests to purchase 11,000 feet of yellow pine flooring and 4,300 feet of hemlock joints amounting to $442 to repair and replace flooring in the school building and the boys' quarters. Pratt adds that student apprentices will…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Repair and Replace Flooring in School Building and Boys' Quarters149.57 KB
December 6, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt forwards excerpts of a letter from Lieutenant Kishingbury, who writes a letter on behalf of the Crow nation. In the excerpts, Kingshingbury argues that the Crow desperately need to be educated because they depend entirely on…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: The Need for the Crow Nation to be Educated383.97 KB
December 8, 1880
Estimate of funds for the first quarter of 1881 amounting to $13,134 for subsistence, employee pay, clothing, farm, supplies, repairs, and contingencies.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
View Document: Estimate of Funds, First Quarter 1881754.46 KB
December 8, 1880
J. Nelson Trask writes to inquire about enrolling a Sac and Fox student he met in Tama, Iowa at Carlisle. Trask notes that Jim has considerable skill as a silversmith and can write in Meskwaki.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request to Enroll Sac and Fox Student225.45 KB
December 11, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt encloses original bills of lading.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79, "Letters Received by…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics:
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Enclosure of Bills of Lading, December 1880130.17 KB
December 11, 1880 - December 14, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt forwards an Estimate of Medical Supplies that covers the first six months of 1881.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Medical Supplies and Materials
View Document: Estimate for Medical Supplies, December 1880668.47 KB
December 13, 1880 - December 16, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt forwards a board of survey conducted on two mules. The board finds that the two mules should be sold.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Board of Survey for Two Mules376.39 KB
December 13, 1880
Alexander Hyde writes to Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz about his experience as an outing host for three Carlisle Indian School students, Lulu, Stephen, and Frank, in the Summer of 1880. Hyde states that he heard about outing from his…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Outing Host's Experience and Desire for Reimbursement for Students' Board267.16 KB
December 14, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt writes to Chief White Thunder telling him of the death of his son, Ernest.
Repository: Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Topics: Student Illness, Student Deaths
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Pratt Tells White Thunder of the Death of Ernest, 1880525.22 KB
December 14, 1880
Physician Charles H. Hepburn provides a report on the deaths of two Rosebud Sioux students: Maud and Ernest. Maud died of multiple lung issues on December 13, 1880 with Ernest dying of diphtheria on December 14, 1880. Richard Henry Pratt forwards…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Student Illness, Student Deaths
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Report on Deaths of Maud (Little Girl) and Ernest (Knocks Off)217.25 KB
December 15, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt writes to Chief White Thunder about the funeral ceremony and burial of his son, Ernest. Pratt expresses his sorrow and sympathy at White Thunder's loss, but also argues that White Thunder was right to send Ernest to the school…
Repository: Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Pratt Writes to White Thunder About Ernest's Burial, 1880752.49 KB
December 18, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt requests that the Ponca delegation stops at the Carlisle Indian School to see their students on their way to Washington, D.C. Pratt states that White Eagle's son is at the school, and if White Eagle would like to bring him…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request for Ponca Delegation to Visit132.05 KB
December 21, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt calls attention to his monthly changes in employees, irregular employees, and proposed changes in employees forms and requests that the Commissioner of Indian Affairs approve them.
Note: This item was copied from U.S.…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Financial Affairs - Management
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Attention Called to Multiple Administrative Forms Needing Approval138.46 KB
December 21, 1880
Richard Henry Pratt corrects misspellings of employee names from his irregular service report for September 1880.
Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: School Employees - General
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Corrections to Report of Irregular Employees, September 1880214.15 KB
December 22, 1880
E. Ballon, from the Shoshone and Bannock Agency, requests to have Arapaho Nation students admitted to the Carlisle Indian School. Ballon states that many students have learned the basics and would likely progress rapidly if admitted to Carlisle.…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: E. Ballon Requests to have Arapaho Students Admitted to Carlisle591.41 KB
December 24, 1880
S. Russell, U.S. Indian Agent, informs the Office of Indian Affairs that he has had no success in finding students from the Apache Nation to be educated in eastern schools.
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Office Updated on Recruitment of Apache Students for Eastern Schools330.27 KB
December 24, 1880
Sheldon Jackson encloses the plan for the Pueblo Industrial Indian Boarding School in Albuquerque, New Mexico to the Office of Indian Affairs. Jackson also states that he is having difficulty recruiting students for the Carlisle Indian School and…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
View Document: Sheldon Jackson Provides Update on Recruitment of Students563.5 KB
December 27, 1880 - January 1, 1881
U. S. Indian Agent, George W. Lee, of the Mackinac Agency forwards a letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs from John Ka dah qe go na to Richard Henry Pratt requesting a spot at the Carlisle Indian School for his daughter Jane. Lee further…
Repository: National Archives and Records Administration
Topics: Request for Enrollment
Format: Letters/Correspondence
View Document: Request from John Ka dah qe go na by to Enroll Daughter729.68 KB