The Inlandsche kinderen with whom they had worked shared little of the pe- jorative profile that so prevailed. They were neither lazy nor incompetent but “industrious and well-behaved,” eager to learn skills but lacking op- portunity and stimulation that would push them in that direction. Nor were they wanting when compared to European recruits. These managers saw the Inlandsche kinderen as preferable to them—if, that is, they re- ceived the proper training.

Ann Laura Stoler, Along the Archival Grain_ E…, loc. 740