"Mere bookish knowledge is not adequate. Students must be taught dignity of labour through education to enable them to earn a livelihood" Explain the statement in light of the Washington girls.

The narrator says that, when the girls in Washington left school, they wanted to buy costly dresses, hats and shoes. Their personal needs had gone up but their ability to work for their needs was still at the same degree. Moreover, their bookish education had discouraged them from taking up manual labour. As a result, many of the girls had gone bad. The narrator felt that this could have been avoided if the girls had been given a good education in languages and mathematics, and at the same time had been given training in the latest and best methods of laundering and other similar occupations.