Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/456

 440 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

recto army. This soldier was ordered by the lieutenant in charge to shoot them one by one unless they gave the desired information. He refused to do so, and was threatened with being court-martialed, but, still refusing, the lieutenant got up and shot the first man himself. The other two promptly told all they knew. This soldier said that giving the water-cure was such an everyday performance that it excited no comment.

Our soldiers often indulge in the deadly native drinks to excess. We came across one lonely grave where the fellow had killed himself drinking twenty bottles of bino in one night.

The most hopeful thing about the situation at the present time is the attitude of all classes toward education. The Ameri- can government has shown a desire to give the Filipinos, even while in arms, the best thing it has to offer the free school system ; and the Filipinos, considering their condition, have shown a most commendable spirit toward this altruistic move- ment. Everywhere is shown a strong desire for the American teacher and his work. Presidents and padres are eager to learn English, and it is nothing uncommon to find them working away at the books alone.

In the towns around this island there are usually not a half- dozen people who can speak Spanish. The native language is devoid of all culture, so it seems eminently proper that we should give these people a common language that contains the results of our progress for thousands of years.

We attended some of the native schools. The conditions were the rudest. A bamboo schoolhouse, a backless bench along the sides of the room, some children squatting on the floor, no chairs, tables, boards, or charts, a book containing the catechism in Vizagan this was the school layout. All the children study aloud, and the best scholar is he who can make the most noise. The ignorance of the native country teacher is unfathom- able, and when we found the salaries paid them we did not wonder at the class attracted, or rather driven, into the service. One woman a fat old matron of fifty or more received one and a half pesos per month something less than seventy-five cents. From this amount the salaries range up to thirty dollars, the highest paid in Cebu.