Avira > Rav hirsch was extremely controversial in his setting up a school with secular studies. The ENTIRE European jewish world had chadarim that were torah only. They would learn a trade from their father or someone else.
at that time, less than 1% of everyone in the world was studying science. R Hirsh was ahead.
During Satmar Rov times – 10% of men went to college.
That is why, for example, R Moshe reasonably says that one can live comfortable life without it.
There were also lots of options to not be a slave at a factory and be an independent businessmen.
In our times > 50% of people go to college. that is not the same “college” as before – IQ of 50% is still not the same as of 1% 100 years ago. Current college student is not able to read Madison – and is not interested.
Small business opportunities are very limited. Your store will compete with walmart and amazon.
Current college teaches you currently required skills – nurse, computer programmer – that are equivalent of being a butcher 100 years ago (and some programmers are very good at butchering code). It takes maybe more years to learn to code than to learn to butcher, but productivity is also hire, and thus the pay and comfort of the job. THat’s all to that, it is not about learning heresy or mixing with co-eds.
You can as well say that Rabban Gamliel was against travelling at 60 mph, it was too dangerous to the horses.