I went to Prep School in Shaker Heights. We had to take Wood Shop, Metal Shop, and Mechanical Drawing.
Back in the day when I went to HS in a small CT town, no one would be granted a diploma unless they took some courses involving a job skill. My ability to type, take shorthand, and do basic bookkeeping served me well when there was no market for a person who could explain the wonders of trigonometry brilliantly.