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Many students would come to Tuskegee looking to study books in languages such as Greek, Latin, and French, and they would be horrified once they found out that they would be asked to learn a vocation in addition to their book studies. He suggests that prolonged study without vocational training is ultimately useless to a race that needs to focus on lifting itself out of the depths of slavery and into mainstream American society. In his autobiography, Washington expresses a deep distaste for those who attempt to avoid labor by getting an education. Washington was against what he called “mere book learning,” and he believed that this type of education does little to nothing for the betterment of the race. As a result, Washington hoped to produce students with “practical skills” that they could use to serve and ultimately better their communities. Students spent most of their mornings and afternoons learning a trade such as blacksmithing, brickmaking, or carpentry, and their early afternoons and evenings studying. Rather, Washington’s curriculum at the Institute consisted of equal parts book learning and vocational practices. However, Washington’s ideal education does not consist of “mere book learning,” as he felt that many poor blacks attempt to get an education to avoid lifelong physical labor. Washington dedicated his life to educating African Americans, resulting ultimately in the development and institution of one of the oldest black institutions of higher learning in the nation, the Tuskegee institute. After the war, many black people made quick strides into the political and economic spheres, but during Reconstruction they ultimately failed to advance due to racist state policies, a lack of political protection, and, according to Washington, a severe lack of capabilities. He attributes this lack of education to the failures of the Reconstruction period following the Civil War. He suggests that African Americans were “crippled” when they were freed by the federal government but had no means by which to educate themselves. Washington believed deeply in the importance of education in the development of young people.