Recruitment of Students for Other Schools

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1878, containing reports on the Indians at the Hampton Institute and a report by Lieut. Richard Henry Pratt regarding the recruitment of students for that school. Both reports discuss the education of students at…

The first page opened with a poem selected “by Mrs. Pettinos,” titled “The Sun and the Wind,” followed by a conversation about the meaning of the 4th of July and how an Indian School student might be influenced to extend his time at the school instead of returning to the reservation. Page two included letters from Frank Lock (Sioux) on outing,…

Richard H. Pratt states that he currently has 57 male students at Hampton and is looking to recruit 20 female students. He goes on to say that he plans to send most of the former Ft. Marion prisoners currently enrolled at Hamtpon on outings, believing that placing Indian students in white families where they will learn a trade will help give…

Hampton Institute Principal Samuel C. Armstrong states that they are currently educating 38 Indian boys and only 9 Indian girls, so he requests that they recruit 20 Dakota female Indian students. He requests that, if his wish is granted, Captain Richard H. Pratt be sent to secure the students and that he be allowed to bring back no more than…

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…

Telegram from Richard Henry Pratt in Onawa, Iowa, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs following up on a previous message regarding his orders to recruit a party of students for the Hampton Institute. Pratt notifies the Commissioner that he has started his return journey.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards to Commissioner of Indian Affiars Ezra Hayt a telegram sent by General Samuel Armstrong of the Hampton Institute. Armstrong telegrams Pratt asking whether he (Armstrong) is needed for a recruitment trip to Dakota, and Pratt forwards the telegram to the Commissioner for consultation.

Richard Henry Pratt telegrams the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, informing him that the Cheyenne agent can supply students to make up the deficiency of students at Hampton, and should be instructed to send one third boys and two third girls. Pratt notes that these students could be escorted east by Alfred Standing and Sarah Mather, two…

Hampton Institute Principal Samuel C. Armstrong informs Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz that he received a telegraph from Captain Richard H. Pratt, who is currently in the Indian Territory. Pratt stated that there are many Indian girls in the Indian Territory who would be suitable students at Hampton. Armstrong states that, though he…

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, who would like see the school. Crissey asks if he can bring Little No Heart with him.

Note…

Richard Henry Pratt provides a report on his trip to Wisconsin and Dakota to recruit new students. Pratt notes that he first went to the Green Bay Agency and secured five students, but the enthusiasm among the parents was so strong that he could' have easily recruited twenty-five. Second, he visited the La Pointe Agency and instructed Green Bay…

Samuel C. Armstrong informs Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. M. Marble that Richard Henry Pratt is likely not bringing any new students to fill the quota of 68 Indian students at Hampton Institute. Armstrong continues to say that Lieutenant Brown at Yankton Agency knows of many Indian youth that would like to come to Hampton and could…

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.

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 the Hampton Normal and Agriculture School.

Samuel C. Armstrong writes that the Hampton Normal Institute is willing to educate three married Omaha couples along with three girls and one boy as government students if A. C. Fletcher is able to bring them with the Sioux delegation going to the Carlisle Indian School. Richard Henry Pratt notes that he would be willing to accept married…

Correspondence regarding requests to return Carlisle Indian School students from the Standing Rock Agency. The requests focused on a promise that the term of enrollment for Carlisle was three years rather than five years.