School Curriculum

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of Indian Affairs for the fiscal year ending 1880, containing the first annual report of the Carlisle Indian School. The report discusses the school's opening, recruitment of students, educational and industrial curricula, and overall health. Also included…

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1883, containing the annual report of the Carlisle Indian School. The report provides a table of enrollment statistics, and has two addendums: one, a lengthy report by Principal C. M. Semple on the school's…

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1885, containing the annual report of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. The report includes a school population table as well as discussions of industry, academic work, dormitory expansions, and sanitary…

A booklet of information and photographs assembled by the Carlisle Indian School for their 23rd year, circa 1902.  Includes a short history of the school and the town and school demographic information.  Includes pictures of arriving students, students during classroom and extracurricular activities, the buildings on campus, farmwork, athletics…

Two duplicate copies of the monthly school report for January 1880, submitted by the Carlisle Indian Training School to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The report includes a list of employees, a count of students by Nation/Tribe, descriptions of the educational program, and Superintendent Richard Henry Pratt's remarks about developments and…

Alfred John Standing writing for Richard Henry Pratt provides an explanation to proposed change in the course of study for various grades at the Carlisle Indian School. In addition he includes a list of the courses of study and the recommended text books.

Richard Henry Pratt provides comments to an Office of Indian Affairs letter regarding the various textbooks and education curriculum at the Carlisle Indian School and how it relates to the proposal of the Office for Indian Schools.

Richard Henry Pratt provides a report responding to questions from the Office of Indian Affairs on the needs of the Carlisle Indian School. Included are discussions on the need for more land, additional educational needs, and industrial training including the limitations of the industrial instruction received at Carlisle.

Pratt also…

Richard Henry Pratt responds to an Office of Indian Affairs letter in reference to a revision in the course of study for Indian schools. Pratt details the current course of study at the Carlisle Indian School and notes that the change in policy would require an additional two years of study. In addition, he notes that many reservation and…

O. H. Bakeless responds to criticisms from W. N. Hailmann regarding teachers at the Carlisle Indian School. In response to the criticisms of Miss Hamilton, teacher of the Normal School, he includes an outline of the work for that class. 

Richard Henry Pratt provides greater detail on the Normal Training Class at the Carlisle Indian School and also encloses the school's Scheme of Grading pamphlet.

Richard Henry Pratt requests to add a Domestic Science Department at the Carlisle Indian School and requests authority to employ Harriet Eck as an extra teacher.

Correspondence regarding the proposal to abolish the business/commercial department at the Carlisle Indian School while adding new courses focusing on home economics, mechanical arts, nursing, and agriculture. An additional focus is on the beginning of the Ford Outing Program. A copy of The Carlisle Arrow (Vol. 11, No. 22) that…

These materials include a memorandum about reforms made to Carlisle Indian School policies by Supervisor Oscar Hiram Lipps in response to a 1914 Congressional investigation. The outlined reforms included curtailing the outing program, changing the courses of study, standardizing disciplinary measures, increasing arrests of local bootleggers,…

Report on the Vocational Courses in Agriculture, Mechanic Arts and Home Economics for the Carlisle Indian School by H. L. Kent, Special Supervisor and correspondence surrounding the report. Kent's report focuses on making Carlisle a secondary vocational school focusing on agriculture, mechanical arts, and home economics including courses of…

These materials include an inspection report of J. H. Dortch for his visit to the Carlisle Indian School. His report includes discussions of new staff, the school's physical plant and curriculum, and continued disciplinary changes being enacted under Superintendent Oscar Hiram Lipps.

These materials include correspondence regarding concerns William Paul, a former student, had that a new domestic science course would replace the outing system.

Assistant Commissioner E. B. Meritt forwards twelve copies of the tentative course of study for Indian schools to Carlisle Indian School Superintendent Oscar H. Lipps. Lipps acknowledges receipt of the books, states that they've never destroyed other versions of the books, and that they've previously sent copies to employers or outing patrons…

Carlisle Indian School Superintendent John Francis Jr. sends copies of the final exam questions for 1917 to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

Carlisle Indian School Principal Teacher C. W. Blair writes to Pennsylvania State College Registrar Professor A. H. Espenshade about designing curriculum that would prepare students to attend college. He sends an example of what classes an Indian School student would take and asks Blair if that coursework would get them into Penn State.

…