Student Savings Accounts

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1881, containing the second annual report of the Carlisle Indian School. The lengthy report includes discussions of curriculum, student recruitment, the school's campus, the success of the sending students on…

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1882, containing the annual report of the Carlisle Indian School. The report includes discussions of school enrollment, experiences of students on outing and outing patrons, curriculum, wages for students,…

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1884, containing the annual report of the Carlisle Indian School. The report includes discussions of enrollment statistics, transfers, educational and industrial progress, student health, the school farm, donations…

Richard Henry Pratt writes to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and Superintendent of Indian Schools regarding the pay of Indian apprentices. Pratt notes that he is in favor of the system of increasing pay over the years which would allow students to develop financial literacy.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding the pay of students for apprentice work. Pratt provides the history of paying students at Carlisle and the justification for such payments. Also included is a copy of a letter written to a previous Commissioner of Indian Affairs in 1886.

John Elm writes to the Office of Indian Affairs regarding the arrangements surrounding his return home. Elm states that because he signed the employee list he was ineligible to be returned to his home at Government expense according to Richard Henry Pratt. Elm inquires if this is right because he was otherwise restricted to the rules of…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter which enclosed a letter from W. B. Backus, Superintendent of the Genoa School, in reference to a system of savings for students. Pratt notes that he believes he fills the place of a parent for the students at the Carlisle Indian School, that he considered teaching students about…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter as well as returns a letter from Lawrence Smith to the Office. Pratt notes that in his judgement it would be better to leave Smith's money in the Treasury until the end of the schooling. Further stating that Smith can earn all the money he needs under the school's system.

Richard Henry Pratt requests two additional clerks tp meet the demands recently imposed by the Office of Indian Affairs circular of June 23, 1898. Pratt notes that the administrative burden is quite high and would lead him to abandon his current financial recordkeeping of student money of which he encloses a copy.

Joseph Schanandore requests the Office of Indian Affairs instruct Richard Henry Pratt to remit him the remaining money held in his son Jemison's account at the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt replies to a letter from Thomas J. Morgan providing him answers to various questions including the enrollment figures over the school's history and presently in 1893. He then discusses the education philosophy of the school when it comes to industrial training and the outing program. Pratt ends by noting the success Carlisle…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to a letter from Mark D. Evarts written to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs asking for his money held by Pratt. Pratt notes that he is holding onto the money because Evarts has been spending his money quickly and that he should be increasing his savings rather than diminishing them. After receiving the letter from…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding $300 to the credit of Susie Farwell. Pratt notes that Farwell can place her money at the school and that he recommends her request be granted.

Captain Richard H. Pratt explains to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs the many benefits of paying student employees for their labor at the school and setting up savings accounts for each student. Pratt provides statistics on how much the school paid students and how many students were paid; he then compares to this to the amount that students…