Authorization to Recruit/Enroll

Acting Secretary of the Interior A. Bell informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that the War Department has transferred the buildings at the Carlisle Barracks to the Interior Department and that Special Agent Richard Henry Pratt is authorized to create an Indian school at the Barracks using the buildings. He also grants authority for Pratt…

Richard Henry Pratt argues to the Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz that his approval for the school to recruit 15 Navajo students is insufficient, and he would like to recruit 50. Pratt writes that the Presbyterian Church has had 10 years to educate the Navajo nation and has failed to make significant progress, but if the Carlisle Indian…

Richard Henry Pratt asks E. J. Brooks to send him instructions for adding additional pupils to the Carlisle Indian School. He references Sheldon Jackson's mission to recruit Navajo and Pueblo students. Finally, he believes that Spotted Tail's decision to return his family members will work to the school's advantage and that Spotted Tail will…

Richard Henry Pratt informs Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. J. Brooks that during their recent visit the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache and Wichita chiefs told him that they would like more of their children enrolled at the school. In particular, Pratt writes that he promised Chief Tsodearko to intercede with the Bureau and ask for permission…

Richard Henry Pratt states that the "long pending Ute matter" is almost finished, meaning that they will be able to recruit 50 students from that nation. Pratt requests to recruit these students himself.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in…

Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to travel to the Sisseton, Green Bay, and La Pointe agencies in order to recruit 25 new students. As he would like more than half to be girls, he also requests to bring a female assistant on the trip.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed…

These materials include correspondence regarding a request from Sara Avery McIlhenny to allow the Carlisle Indian School to continue its previous policy of recruiting Chitimacha students from around Charenton, Louisiana. Previously, agents from Carlisle recruited these students, but new enrollment policies ended the practice. McIlhenny's…