Education After Carlisle

The first page opened with a poem titled “How To Make Up,” followed by an article reprinted from The Sabbath School Visitor titled “Playthings of the Indian Children.” Next came a letter from Nancy Cornelius (Oneida) titled “Items of Interest From Nancy Cornelius,” which was sent from the Training School for Nurses at Hartford, Connecticut and…

Richard Henry Pratt requests authority to have Henry Kendall enroll at Rutgers College. Pratt also requests that $167 per year be allocated to pay Rutgers for Kendall's education from the general appropriation or through Pratt's fund.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding Esther Miller and her annuity money. Pratt states that Miller has not heard from the Office of Indian Affairs but she would like to use her annuity money to attend a Normal School (Pratt recommends the Oswego Normal School). Pratt notes that he can manage the money for…

Richard Henry Pratt inquires about using appropriation to support former students currently enrolled at various colleges who are currently being supported by the Charity Fund. Pratt notes that he has many calls on his Charity Fund and is about $5,000 in debt on account of the Gymnasium and Large Boys' Quarters costing $22,000 and that he would…

Richard Henry Pratt writes regarding a request from the President of Marietta College, John Eaton, to cover the annual cost of tuition for Samuel Townsend. Pratt asks that the department cover the cost as Townsend is a capable printer and an ambitious student who desires to go into a law profession.

Richard Henry Pratt requests the assistance of the Office of Indian Affairs in paying the law school tuition of William F. Campbell. Pratt forwards two letters from Campbell.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from former student William F. Campbell regarding his law studies and attempts to earn a living as a painter.

Richard Henry Pratt discusses the case of Chester Cornelius with the Office of Indian Affairs. Pratt notes that Cornelius purchased a section of land under the Severalty Act with the intention of renting it out to support himself as he enrolled in a commercial school in Poughkeepsie, New York. However, the agent has now indicated he cannot rent…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from former student William F. Campbell regarding the government providing an allowance for him to attend law school. Campbell notes that he has not heard from the Department and assumes that the allowance was not approved. In addition, Campbell recounts a ghost dance on the Red Lake Reservation that he…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter to the Office of Indian Affairs from Clement C. Gaines, President of the Eastman Business College, and a contract between Gaines and former student Chester P. Cornelius. Gaines' understanding is that the contract permits Cornelius to receive an allowance to attend the Business College. However, Gaines…

Richard Henry Pratt notifies the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that he has received a letter from former student William F. Campbell regarding the assistance promised him by Office of Indian Affairs to allow him to attend the Law School at the University of Minnesota. Pratt notes that a contract was drawn up by the Dean of the Law School to…

Richard Henry Pratt writes to the Office of Indian Affairs on a number of matters including the continued employment of Alfred John Standing, revisions to the Civil Service Code, and enrolling Dennison Wheelock at Dickinson College. In addition, Pratt forwards a letter of William P. Campbell regarding a recruitment trip among the Oneidas…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding Lawrence Smith. Pratt provides Smith's history at the Carlisle Indian School and noting that he has asked to be reenrolled at the Carlisle Indian School or to be released to attend the Hampton Institute. As a result, Pratt notes that it would not be fair to the school…

Pratt's annual report of the Carlisle Indian School begins by providing statistics of the number of students from various nations during the school year. Pratt claims that the per capita cost at Carlisle is lesser than at other schools while also highlighting the cost of Carlisle as a tool for greater assimilation with the outing program in…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a request from Julia Bent for her annuity payment in order to pay her tuition at the Cumberland Valley Normal School in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards the Annual Report of the Carlisle Indian School for the 1892-1893 school year to the Office of Indian Affairs. Pratt's narrative discusses the enrollment statistics of the school, academic and industrial education, the outing system, the saving system, as well as field trips to the Columbian Quadricentennial in New…

Former student Abe Somers requests to transfer from the Haskell Institute to re-enroll at the Carlisle Indian School.

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs circular letter regarding students for a normal training school in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pratt notes that Carlisle has had some limited success in producing students for normal schools and strongly advocates for placing students among established normal schools and colleges. He cites…

Richard Henry Pratt outlines the disciplinary history of Lewis Williams (also known as Lewis Daniel Williams) while at the Carlisle Indian School and what led him to withdraw his assistance from allowing Williams to attend the Preparatory Department of Dickinson College and to provide him a ticket to his home.

Richard Henry Pratt informs W. N. Hailmann that he does not have the funds to employ as teachers the two men named in Hailmann's previous letter. After discussing issues related to funding and employee salaries, Pratt says he wants to wait until he can talk with former student Nellie Robertson about hiring her for the lowest teaching position…

Richard Henry Pratt replies to a letter from W. N. Hailmann which apparently asked for recommendations for Carlisle students to fill teaching positions. Pratt recommends and discusses the qualifications of Julia Elmore, Adelia Lowe, and Henrietta Fremont. In addition, Pratt includes certifications of graduation for Elmore and Lowe.

Joseph Adams requests the Office of Indian Affairs forward him his share of the trust held for the Siletz Indians in Oregon to assist him in paying to attend college. (Other documents show that he attended Dickinson College.) 

Pratt has annotated the letter saying he supports this request. 

Richard Henry Pratt requests on the behalf of former student Lillie Wind (here Lilly Wind) the funds due to her as a member of the Ottawa nation from the sale of the town site of Miami. Wind has trained as a nurse, is doing well, and has previously sought to obtain these funds from the government without any response. 

Richard Henry Pratt follows up on the request of Gertrude Simmons to take additional training to further her career. Pratt additionally requests advance notice of the party of Cheyenne and Arapaho's arrival in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Note: Gertrude Simmons later became known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin and Zitkala-Sa. 

Richard Henry Pratt forwards the application of former student Siceni Nori for a position in the Indian Service as a bookkeeper or clerk along with a letter of recommendation from the head of the Stewart Business College.