Indian School System

Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to bring in an additional 275 students from various agencies for the upcoming fiscal year. Pratt notes that the school currently has 611 students, but he expects to lose about 175 due to expiration of enrollment terms. Further he states that he was in negotiation to bring in students from various agencies…

C. E. Vandever, U.S. Indian Agent for the Navajo Agency, responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter that it will be difficult to obtain students from the Navajo Agency for off reservation boarding schools. Vandever cites the fact that four former students died shortly after returning from Carlisle, including two sons of popular chief…

Richard Henry Pratt follows up with Thomas J. Morgan after Morgan's visit to the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt encourages Morgan to send out his views in a circular to agents and superintendents.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a report from Alfred John Standing regarding his trip to Michigan and Minnesota to recruit students for the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt details the obstacles Standing experienced including maintaining a relatively equal gender ratio and the decentralized nature of the various communities and poor prior experiences…

Richard Henry Pratt inquires if Captain J. E. Quentin is being appointed as Superintendent of the Grand Junction school. Pratt also notes that the Chilocco appointment will be one of the best.

M. P. Wyman, U.S. Indian Agent for the Crow Agency, asks if he is authorized to provide students to William P. Campbell for the Carlisle Indian School from two contract and one agency school in ratio to attendance.

Archer O. Simons, U.S. Indian Agent for the Fort Belknap Agency, responds to the Office of Indian Service regarding sending students from the agency to the Carlisle Indian School. Simons notes that he never received the first letter asking him to send 25 students and indicates that a mistake has likely been made as it would be difficult to…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards two articles by Elaine Goodale, Supervisor of Education among the Sioux, to Thomas J. Morgan. Pratt comments that Goodale fought the work of the Sioux Commission and is also opposed to off-reservation schools as they deprive parents of a say in their children's education, instead promoting school which would give…

Alfred John Standing responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding a plan to increase enrollment at the Carlisle Indian School from 778 students at present to 1000 at the beginning of the next year, after 75 students return home. Standing provides information on which agencies can send students to Carlisle as well as how students…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to the letter of C. W. Crouse, U. S. Indian Agent for the Pima Agency, related to the Pima Agency School and his general thoughts on educating students in the Indian Service.

Richard Henry Pratt returns the Rules for Indian Schools with a few recommendations. Pratt's main recommendation is that students should be as strongly encouraged as possible to enter the general public school system rather than establishing a separate Indian public school system. In addition, Pratt recommends an equal proportion of sexes at…

Richard Henry Pratt provides comments to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding the various textbooks and education curriculum at the Carlisle Indian School and how it relates to the proposal of the Office for Indian Schools.

Richard Henry Pratt refers to the inquiries of the Senate Resolution will require additional clerical workforce before the next session of Congress. As a result, Pratt requests two additional clerks and one agent.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from Henry A. Kennerly regarding an order from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that discouraged the transfer of mixed blood students to Carlisle. Kennerly notes that unless this order is modified he could not come up with a party of students.

Pratt adds that while he agrees with the sentiment of…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to correspondence regarding complaints made by labor organizations of Genoa Indian School students being used as laborers on a beet farm. Pratt suggests that the Genoa Superintendent is right but that he should focus on individual outing patrons rather than corporate patrons.

Richard Henry Pratt follows up his telegraph earlier in the day to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs regarding his recruiting trip to the Pine Ridge Agency. Pratt notes that agencies have a tendency to hold back students due to opening up of camp schools. As a result, Pratt asks for a more emphatic request from the office to the agency in…

B. P. Shuler, U.S. Indian Agent for the White Earth Agency, provides a report to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs including on pupils sent to Fort Totten and a delegation to be sent Carlisle. Shuler states that all of the students sent to Fort Totten had the permission of their parents and the only complaint was by a teacher at the Rice River…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards comments made by the school's doctor, C. R. Dixon, to an article on the treatment of the eyes of Indian pupils. Dixon comments that a number of the treatments recommended while sound should only be used by trained physicians. As a result he provides a few corrections for untrained nurses.

Richard Henry Pratt provides a report responding to questions from the Office of Indian Affairs on the needs of the Carlisle Indian School. Included are discussions on the need for more land, additional educational needs, and industrial training including the limitations of the industrial instruction received at Carlisle.

Pratt also…

Richard Henry Pratt proposes to the Office of Indian Affairs that teachers in the Indian Service be paid to attend a summer school in addition to their one month of paid leave.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding the rations used at the Carlisle Indian School and a comparison between the Indian School rations and Army rations. Pratt notes the differences mainly in what the school can produce on its own as well as the need for more soap to properly clean buildings and people. He…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter in reference to a revision in the course of study for Indian schools. Pratt details the current course of study at the Carlisle Indian School and notes that the change in policy would require an additional two years of study. In addition, he notes that many reservation and…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to a letter from Lieutenant McAnaney, Fort Belknap Agent, in reference to vacancies at the Fort Belknap school. Pratt states that he did not mean to give a strong endorsement for a cook position for Lucy Enter Lodge and instead recommends Rosalie Ereaux. In addition, he discusses the charge that no one from the Fort…

Richard Henry Pratt provides a copy of his letter sent to M. D. Shelby, Acting Superintendent of the Genoa Indian School, in which he provides justification for providing transportation to Henry Horse Looking to Carlisle.

M. D. Shelby, Acting Superintendent of the Genoa School, requests an answer from Richard Henry Pratt as to why he is furnishing transportation to students of the Genoa School without communicating with the Superintendent.