Yserb, yekkishe rabbonim all had doctorates; it was part of his path to the rabbinate. German Jews respected people who were educated; it was that way since the aruch l’neir.
As for what you heard, talk to people who are into learning from Washington heights. A great deal sent their kids to my Yeshiva, and i know them personally. The Yeshiva rav breur started also teaches no such thing as secular studies being independently important, as rav Boruch ber described as pure apikorsus, that there is enlightenment outside torah, chas veshalom. Rav breuer hired people like the novominsker rebbe who certainly didn’t think fhat way, to be roshei yeshiva.
Derech eretz doesn’t equal secular studies.
If you heard that derech eretz has value besides parnossa, then you’re 100% right. Derech eretz, the full spectrum of worldly involvement, is a means of glorifying Hashem in the world, perfecting one’s character, and is far more than just making money or secular studies.
Again, nowhere does rav hirsch or rav breuer, or rishonim, chazal, or anyone besides maskilim, say that secular studies in themselves have value besides helping one learn torah or earning a living.
Rav hirsch writes, based on chazal, that the chochmos are the handmaids of Torah; they serve the torah, they are not anything of themselves.
Torah umada, made by people inspired by maskilim like belkin and revel, believes that they are, chas veshalom equal. You’re probably somewhere in the middle of the two, but still in the category of the apikorsus rav boruch ber described to rav shimon Schwab, the rov of the yekkies after rav breuer. You can find that piece, if you’re capable of reading rav boruch ber’s writing style, in the end of birkas shmuel on kiddushin. Check it out, it might give you an idea of how far away from yiddishkeit the world outside the yeshivos and chasidus is.