Recruitment of Students

Richard Henry Pratt requests the approval for his request for $7000 in order to transport pupils to Carlisle. In particular, Pratt notes that one of the Carlisle Indian School teachers who returned with Pueblo students has seen 40 students from Laguna request to be enrolled at Carlisle. This is in addition to other Pueblo villages as well as…

Superintendent Richard Henry Pratt writes to Doctor Cornelius Rea Agnew attempting to arrange a visit, as well as a trip to the west to recruit students.  Pratt asks Agnew to come along to help select healthy children, and suggests that they rest in the Las Vegas, New Mexico Hot Springs. 

Transcript included.

Acting Secretary in the Department of the Interior M. S. Juslyn writes to Doctor Cornelius Rea Agnew enclosing an order securing Agency and Indian Service assistance for Agnew while he is in the West. 

Richard Henry Pratt informs the Bureau of Indian Affairs that he is leaving for the Indian Territory and New Mexico for new pupils for the Carlisle Indian School. In his absence he leaves A. J. Standing in charge of the School.

Richard Henry Pratt reports his return to the Carlisle Indian School from his student recruiting trip out West along with 77 students. He notes that he brought back 57 students from Laguna, 14 from Acoma, four from Cochiti, and two from Jemes. Pratt also notes that he made arrangements with the Osage and Mescalero Agencies to send additional…

Richard Henry Pratt inquires whether it is worthwhile to wait for William H. H. Llewellyn to recruit girls from the Mescalero Agency. Notes that L. J. Miles is going to leave the Osage Agency with 40 students and he can accept 50 more from that agency.

Marianna Burgess sends a report to Richard Henry Pratt regarding a recruiting trip at the Menominee Agency. Burgess details the difficulties resulting from opposition from the local Catholic Priest. Pratt notes that he has experienced similar opposition at the Rosebud, Pine Ridge, and in a number of the Pueblo Agencies.

Richard Henry Pratt references the telegrams sent by William H. H. Llewellyn, U.S. Indian Agent for the Mescalero Agency, and recommends that the agent be encouraged to make up the party of students from the agency in November. He notes that if Carlisle is unable to enroll the students that they can likely be sent to another Indian School.

John H. Bowman, U.S. Indian Agent for the Navajo Agency, writes regarding obtaining students for the Carlisle Indian School. Bowman notes that because of Navajo customs he does not believe it possible for the agency to send girls but he can send around 12 boys.

Notice of intent by Richard Henry Pratt that either he or the Carlisle Indian School physician Obadiah G. Given is set to visit the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Agencies to enroll 75 students. Pratt notes that due to students at Rosebud being sent to Genoa and Lincoln, in addition to the opposition to the Catholic Church, they are unlikely to enroll…

Richard Henry Pratt informs the Bureau of Indian Affairs that he has received word from the Green Bay Agency of a number of Oneida students who desire to enroll at Carlisle. As a result he has sent Marrianna Burgess to select 20 students to bring back to Carlisle and requests transportation for that number to be made available at Oneida,…

Richard Henry Pratt requests permission to travel to St. Augustine with a Carlisle Indian School student from Chiricahua to provide a presentation to the Apache prisoners of war about the intentions of the Government in seeking to educate their children and how beneficial enrolling their children at Carlisle would be.

Richard Henry Pratt requests permission to recruit female students, along with his oldest daughter as an assistant, from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agency, the Kiowa and Comanche and the Quapaw Agency, the Pueblo Agency, the Navajo Agency, and the Pine Ridge Agency. He further requests transportation expenses to be covered for himself along with…

A request from Richard Henry Pratt to send Tom Torlino to his home in order to serve as an example of the benefits of the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt requests full authority and instructions from the Office of Indian Affairs to travel West and recruit new students as soon as possible.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to a letter from Secretary of the Interior Lucius Q. C. Lamar regarding sending children and young adults at Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Florida to the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt provides details on the number of students that can be accommodated at Carlisle through temporary shelters and through sending students…

Richard Henry Pratt notes that the Carlisle Indian School can have 650 to 675 students for the upcoming fiscal year on its Congressional appropriation compared to its current enrollment of 531. As a result Pratt notes that this would require bringing in 125 and 150 students many of whom could be students who were recently returned to the…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding bringing students from the Blackfeet, Navajo, and Ute Agencies to the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt notes that he has instructed his staff sent to the Rosebud, Pine Ridge, and Omaha Agencies not to obtain as many students as he had previously thought to bring back,…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards expense vouchers related to the recruitment of students in the Omaha and Winnebago Agency as well as the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Agencies.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter providing authority to transport Wallace Charging Shield and Perry Laravie while also suggesting they serve as escort for other students. Pratt then states that he does not believe individuals in agencies are currently capable of selecting students to attend the training schools…

Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to send school physician, Obadiah G. Given, to various agencies in the West to recruit 50 to 75 students. Pratt asks for latitude in recruiting students and arranging their transportation rather than having to request specific tickets from each agency.

Wrap for telegraph from Richard Henry Pratt in which he he describes difficulties in securing pupils, asks authority from the Office of Indian Affairs authority for 150 students, and opportunity to answer adverse allegations.

The telegraph itself is not included.

Richard Henry Pratt replies to the Office of Indian Affairs that the Office has instructed Alfred John Standing to telegraph the Office for transportation only as he finds pupils to come to Carlisle.

Richard Henry Pratt writes that in accordance with Office of Indian Affairs authority he has sent Obadiah G. Given to Indian Territory to secure students. Pratt notes that he has instructed Given to telegraph the Office directly with the number of tickets needed in order to secure transportation back to Carlisle.

Richard Henry Pratt notes that with the completion of the new school building the Carlisle Indian School can accommodate 500 students on its campus. He further indicates that 189 students are currently on outing with only a few in any one district school allowing them to speak English on a more regular basis.

Pratt then discusses that…