Funny!
I'm 15 years younger, and when I was in Home Ec in high school, the teachers thought I was "odd" because I didn't like following the pattern. Had been sewing since I was five, and they weren't teaching anything I didn't already know how to do.
Interesting how fast things change, I was one of the few girls in the class that knew how to sew already, most had no clue. The next year was the first year the school allowed Boys in Home Ec and Girls in Shop. A few years later the basic classes in both areas were combined and required.
I have an antique McDowell's Pattern Drafting kit - pretty neat to think about how that was used for those creating garments long ago.