At least you and I remember shop class. They are as rare as hens teeth today. How sad.
My freshman year at Central Islip High School on Long Island was the first year the school was open. There was a home-ec wing, a science wing, a huge sports wing with indoor Olympic pool, AND a shop wing with auto shop, metal, ceramics and wood. The metal shop had six new metal lathes, two wood lathes for spinning metal, a big milling machine, a huge band saw, a kiln, welders, and loads of small equipment. Just fitting it out must have cost more than the average home back then. Maybe a couple homes. What happened to education?
Other than speaking, writing, and basic math, I have gotten more mileage out of shop than any other class. Yet my brother, nine years my senior, never saw a shop class. I must have just been lucky...