| PA State Archives | Hours, Directions, & Fees | Research Topics | Online Catalog | Land Records |
After witnessing the U.S. military's problems with Native Americans, Lt. Richard
Henry Pratt envisioned a school where teachers could immerse Native Americans
into American culture, forgetting about their tribal pasts in the process. Pratt
gained support from the U.S. Department of Interior's Indian Office and founded
the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In existence from 1879
to 1918, the Carlisle Indian School educated hundreds of Native American children
and assimilated them into American culture. Forbidden to speak their native
tongue, wear their native clothing, or keep their long hair, Native American
children learned trades and received formal education for at least two years.
When school was not in session, students lived with local families to further
engage in American culture. This Outing System prevented children from returning
to their homes and reinitiating themselves with Native American culture. The
school did successfully assimilate many of its students, who later became famous,
especially as athletes.
The U.S. Congress, though at first cautious about Indian Schools, decided to
support Pratt's system. Throughout the United States, more Indian schools were
founded, modeled after the Carlisle Indian School. At the turn of the 20th century,
Indian school enrollments peaked across the country - the Carlisle Indian School
housed 1,000 students from about 70 tribes. By the end of World War I, however,
the Carlisle Indian School no longer proved a success. With Native Americans
showing patriotism by joining the American military and Native American children
receiving education on the reservations, the War Department decided to close
some of the Indian schools, including the one in Carlisle.
The collection contains various pamphlets, letters, photographs, and reports
describing the function of life at the Carlisle Indian School. The Annual Report
for 1910 details expenses made for the year up to June 30, 1910. The Indian
Helper, a weekly letter published at the Carlisle Indian School, included information
about what was going on at the School. In the March 4, 1898 issue, the 1898
commencement exercises are discussed, as well as a brief overview of the School,
and the proper ways to treat an Indian. The collection also contains a letter
from 19 year old Joshua Given, a Native American pupil of the School, to W.D.
Blackburn on August 28, 1880 describing the non-civilized manner of Native Americans
and the benefit of the Indian School to Native American children. The 1906 commencement
program and the 1912 program honoring Carlisle's Olympic heroes show how important
academics and athletics were to the School. The 1912 catalogue, similar to a
college catalogue of today, examines courses, housing, activities, and responsibilities
while attending the School. Various photographs from 1878-1903 depict life at
the school. The three publications represented in the collection discuss three
important aspects of the School - the founding, the Outing System, and Jim Thorpe,
the Carlisle Indian School's most well known pupil.
| PA State Archives | Hours, Directions, & Fees | Research Topics | Online Catalog | Land Records |