| Finding information about former Carlisle Indian School
students is now much more simplified using web resources.
Thanks to the diligent efforts of Genevieve Bell, this information is now more accessible. In preparation for her doctoral dissertation for Stanford University, Bell spent many months at the National Archives in Washington DC (NARA), poring over the 8,000+ student folders of the Carlisle Indian School documents in Record Group 75. NARA is the only repository where the actual Carlisle Indian School records are housed. Bell organized a database of statistical information found in these records. Various university, military and historical archives house the school publications and a variety of photograph collections, but only the NARA holds the actual records of the Carlisle Indian School. These files contain the official documents of the school; any correspondence kept between school, agent and parents or guardians; photographs; original enrollment applications which include lineage, blood quantum, home agency or address, and physician's report; Outing Reports including patrons' names and locations and students' dates of service; runaway information; number and sex of siblings; and occasional follow-up surveys of the students whereabouts after 1910. These folders may be photocopied by writing to NARA. Note: in many cases, there is an index-sized file card in the folder, which may contain only a fraction of the above information. If you know there is a NARA folder for a particular student, the complete record may be ordered by contacting:
National Archives and Records Administration
Tel: (202) 357- 5395 - general reference number at NARA where you can leave voice message. Email:inquire@nara.gov When you write to NARA, be sure to emphasize that you know there is a folder for the student in the Carlisle Indian School student files of Record Group 75 based on Genevieve Bell's index. A written message is the best (because it avoids miscommunication over the phone) along with the phone number in case they need to call someone back for more information. In any case, they do not answer any sooner if someone calls, than by email or letter. If you are not sure whether or not there is a student
folder at NARA for a particular student, email Barbara
Landis.
Barbara Landis can also do a search for a particular student through the newspaper files she has transcribed. She has hundreds of newspaper files in text format, saved from the weekly publications distributed to researchers and relatives. Landis also has access to the Bell database and will include that information if you prefer more immediate results. Turnaround time for this information is about a week and there is a fee. Information for the Cheyenne and/or Arapaho students are available through the work of John L. Sipes Jr, Northern Cheyenne Chief and Cheyenne Historian. On the student name lists for the C&A nations, there might be a reference to "SIPES" in addition to NARA and/or CCHS. Contact John Sipes for additional research for the Cheyenne and Arapaho students. |
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