1881

Richard Henry Pratt informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that due to Curtits' bad health, he has sent Curtis home with Roman Nose as a guardian, rather than wait for Bear's Heart to accompany him. Roman Nose was requested to return home by the Indian Agent L. J. Miles.

Richard Henry Pratt writes to inform the Commissioner of Indian Affairs of an outbreak of measles among the students of a mild type. He notes that as of March 26, 1881 their were fifty-four cases in bed.

An envelope described as previously containing an explanation to accounts sent by Richard Henry Pratt for the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a list of names of Pueblo students brought by the Rev. Sheldon Jackson to Carlisle in February 1881.

A. R. Keller, U.S. Indian Agent at the Montana Crow Agency, writes to see if it would be possible to send a delegation of Crow children to Carlisle in the summer. Keller notes that the Agency has had little success in meeting its educational goals and indicates a boarding school would have a greater chance of succeeding.

Richard Henry Pratt submits the abstract of bids for material and part of the labor to build a hospital for the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt includes the advertisement that appeared in the Herald and Mirror as well as the Valley Sentinel. Pratt notes that he is unhappy with the bidding process due to the lack of bids which he…

Richard Henry Pratt provides notice to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that he is going on a trip to Philadelphia in order to raise awareness of the Carlisle Indian School. In doing so, he hopes to raise $2,500 in order to build an addition onto the Girls Quarters to allow for a sitting room and additional dormitories.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter he received from Dr. H. Caruthers of Tarrytown, New York who is requesting the permission of the Secretary of the Interior to start a small school dedicated to educating Indian pupils. Pratt and Caruthers note that they met when Pratt was in St. Augustine, Florida and Dr. Caruthers wife was an assistant at…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards the reports of school physician C. H. Hepburn on the deaths of Dora (Her Pipe), Rose (Red Rose), and Albert. Hepburn provides details on the treatment and condition of each student as well as their illnesses including measles, bronchopneumonia or bronchitis, and pneumonia.

Richard Henry Pratt reports that a scarlet fever outbreak as occurred at the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt notes that there has been an outbreak in the borough of Carlisle for the past three months during which he has instituted a quarantine for the last two months including removing his own children from the local schools.

Pratt…

Richard Henry Pratt writes to seek the authority to send William Young, a member of the Nez Perce Nation, home before the expiration of his term due to illness.

Richard Henry Pratt seeks clarification on the need for Richard Parker to sign for the receipts paid for the rent of the Parker farm for himself as well as an attorney for the other heirs. Pratt believes this is unnecessary but wants to avoid figure hassles by seeking instructions from the Department of the Interior.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards the report of the Carlisle School physician C. H. Hepburn on the deaths of Edward Upright and Giles. Hepburn notes the cause of death resulting from scarlet fever as well as pneumonia while recovering from measles.

Richard Henry Pratt writes to seek authority to pay to send home three former prisoners who remained east for their education. The sponsor of Paul Zotom and David Oakerhater had them trained in agriculture as well as being ordained as deacons in the Episcopal Church while studying in Paris Hill, New York and is now proposing to build chapels at…

Richard Henry Pratt sends a list of positions and salaries for the 1882 fiscal year. The list includes clerks, farmers, teachers, matrons, various superintendents, band leader, various industrial teachers, cooks, disciplinarians, a teamster, chaplain, nurse, and an individual to be in charge of the animals. There is also a Department of the…

J. M. Howard writes to Richard Henry Pratt seeking to enroll John Leecy of the White Earth Agency at Carlisle. Howard provides a recommendation for Leecy along with the Agent at White Earth Agency and notes that Leecy would be able to pay his way to Carlisle.

Upon forwarding the letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs Pratt notes…

John Cook, a U.S. Indian Agent writes on behalf of Cook, a member of the Sioux Nation, to visit the Carlisle Indian School at his own expense.

Richard Henry Pratt outlines a proposal for sending students from the Carlisle Indian School to local families in the Cumberland Valley and Bucks County. Pratt justifies the program by noting that any cost will be offset by savings in food as families will be required to board the students. He notes that students will benefit from English…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs two letters he received from the Rosebud Agency. One concerns the deaths of Rosebud students while at Carlisle and the desire of the Rosebud Sioux Chiefs to educate their children closer to home. The second from Black Crow protesting the actions of Spotted Tail and others who…

A Council of Sioux Chiefs including Spotted Tail, Two Strike, White Thunder, and Swift Bear from the Rosebud Agency writes to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to protest the deaths of their children at Carlisle and asks for a local school in order to educate their children along with teachers. U.S. Indian Agent John Cook notes that he is…

A Council of Sioux Chiefs including Spotted Tail, Two Strike, White Thunder, and Swift Bear from the Rosebud Agency writes to President James A. Garfield to protest the deaths of their children at Carlisle and asks for a local school in order to educate their children along with teachers. U.S. Indian Agent John Cook notes that he is agreement…

A council of Sioux Chiefs including Spotted Tail, Two Strike, White Thunder, and Swift Bear from the Rosebud Agency writes to the Secretary of the Interior to protest the deaths of their children at Carlisle and asks for a local school in order to educate their children along with teachers. U.S. Indian agent John Cook notes that he is agreement…

Richard Henry Pratt notifies the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that the former Kiowa prisoner Tsaitkopeta who has been living in Tarrytown, New York with Dr. H. Caruthers wishes to return home to the Kiowa and Comanche Agency. Pratt notes that he is entitled to have the government pay this expense and ends by saying that the only remaining…

Cook, a member of the Sioux Nation, writes to his daughter Grace at the Carlisle Indian School. He writes that others in the Rosebud Agency are attempting to have their children returned from Carlisle but he does not think they will succeed. If they do though he would like Grace to return although he would also be happy with her staying and…

Richard Henry Pratt provides an update on the enrollment status of William Snake and Fred Smith. Pratt notes that William Snake and White Rabbit are the same individual. He also writes that the money for the two students would be better served if invested in cattle or another area rather than sent to the students directly.