1881

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from the U. S. Indian Agent at the Green Bay Agency, E. Stephens. Stephens writes Pratt requesting to enroll forty students from his agency from three tribes: the Menominee, Oneida, and Stockbridge. Stephens states that the progress of the two students already at Carlisle shows the benefits of the school…

Estimate of funds for the first quarter of 1881 amounting to $13,134 for subsistence, employee pay, clothing, farm, supplies, repairs, and contingencies.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79, "Letters Received by the…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards an Estimate of Medical Supplies that covers the first six months of 1881.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79, "Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-80."

U. S. Indian Agent, George W. Lee, of the Mackinac Agency forwards a letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs from John Ka dah qe go na to Richard Henry Pratt requesting a spot at the Carlisle Indian School for his daughter Jane. Lee further states that he has a number of such applications and inquires about the prospect and requirements of…

Richard Henry Pratt reports that the visit of Ponca Chiefs Harry Bear, Standing Eagle, and White Buffalo went well. He also notes that Chief Harry Bear asked that his son be returned home due to his falling ill multiple times at Carlisle. Pratt notes that he approved the return home of the student despite his condition improving following…

U. S. Indian Agent for the Moqui Pueblo Indian Agency, John H. Sullivan, writes to inform the Indian Affairs Commissioner that he has not procured students for Carlisle or Hampton originally because he believed Rev. Sheldon Jackson lacked authority to request students and then because there is not yet sufficient trust among the Pueblo to send…

Richard Henry Pratt submits plans and specifications for building a new hospital on the grounds of the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt notes that he has received multiple estimates for the cost of the building as well as supplies and believes that the use of Indian apprentices will greatly reduce labor costs. He states that the old hospital…

Richard Henry Pratt references several letters from V. H. Cornman, and observes that based on them it would seem to be easy to recruiting Osage pupils for the Carlisle Indian School.

E. Ballon writes to the E. M. Marble, the Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs that he was informed of the decision to enroll Arapaho students at Carlisle. He notes that Black Coal was excited at this response and immediately went to gather pupils to send to Carlisle in order to send them by February 1st. Ballon further requests the…

These materials include a cover letter and a Descriptive Statement of Pupils regarding 25 children transferred to the Carlisle Indian School from the Tullahassee Mission in Muscogee Indian Territory.

Carlisle Indian School physician, C. H. Hepburn, reports on the death of Dennis Strikes First due to typhoid pneumonia on January 19, 1881.

Note: In this record the student is identified as Denis.

Captain Pratt writes to inform the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that he has just received notice that 25 Creek students are arriving at the Carlisle Indian School on January 22.

Richard Henry Pratt notes that when he spoke to American Horse and other Sioux Chiefs in 1880 as they returned home they were promised a light wagon produced at Carlisle. According to Pratt sending the wagons along with some tinware would be a good method to show the work being done by the students of the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Agency as well…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter from George W. Lee, the Indian Agent at the Mackinac Agency, asking if it is possible to enroll some Chippewa students at Carlisle. If so, he would also like to know the terms and conditions of admission. Pratt notes that the Chippewa are one of the few Nations east of the Rocky Mountains that are not…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a report on the health of the newly arrived Creek students from the school physician C. H. Hepburn. Hepburn indicates four students who have been physically affected by previous illness and comments on the age of the children as compared to the age they provided (noting he believes several of the girls are older…

Richard Henry Pratt objects to the gender imbalance among two incoming student groups from L. J. Miles and from the Northern Arapaho. He notes that the work details of the school are divided among the sexes and depends on an equal number of girls and boys to be fair. The current makeup of the incoming students would further imbalance the…

Richard Henry Pratt requests from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that both L. J. Miles and E. Ballon should bring as many girls as boys to Carlisle otherwise they should not come. He notes that there are at present proportionately too many male students at Carlisle.

George L. Davenport, the Indian Agent at the Sac and Fox Agency in Tama, Iowa, notes that ex-Agent Trask's recommendation to enroll Jim Poweshiek at Carlisle is inadvisable. Davenport notes that Jim is 26 years old with a wife and child and can write in English and has no intention of going away to school. He further states that he would like…

Richard Henry Pratt recommends returning two students from the Sioux Nation. The first is Lawrence due to ill health and the second is Philip Good Voice due to a request from his father and his current home sickness which may lead to poor health in the future.

L. J. Miles, the Indian Agent at the Osage Agency, requests that if convenient when he accompanies Cheyenne children to Carlisle that the leave from Arkansas City and go through Chicago.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a the lease and contract for the Parker Farm. The lease and contract stipulate how the government will farm under the lease.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a report from the Carlisle School physician C. H. Hepburn on the health of students recently arrived from the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Pueblo Nations to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a copy of a letter from Archibald Young - writing from Toronto, Canada - who is seeking information on the Carlisle Indian School as he is thinking of instituting a school on a similar basis. Pratt asks the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to send the last Annual Report and he will write further on the subject.

Richard Henry Pratt notes that the Carlisle Herald and Valley Sentinel of Carlisle have the two largest circulations of the local papers and would be the best to advertise for material costs. He provides estimates for lumber; masonry excavation of plastering; hardware; roofing tin and spouting; painting; and a water closet, waste pipe, and…

Richard Henry Pratt requests the authority to hire an office clerk at forty dollars a month. This is in addition to a request to hire a teacher at forty-five dollars a month due to the arrival of sixteen Cheyenne and Arapaho students who attend school at night after their days are spent working in their trades.