AMISH SCHOOLS |
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These are general comments on the Amish school system. How schools operate may vary slightly depending on the state or sect. |
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AMISH SCHOOLS |
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These are general comments on the Amish school system. How schools operate may vary slightly depending on the state or sect. |
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Cooperation, not competition is the main spirit of plain schools |
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The school years usually starts around September 1 and ends May 1. There is school on Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. so they are done quicker to help on the farm. |
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The school day usually runs from 9 AM to 3 PM |
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Students are called scholars |
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Scholars and the teacher either walk or take a horse & buggy to school |
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Scholars begin school at age 6 and attend through the 8th grade at around age 14 |
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All scholars bring their own lunch |
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Grades 1 through 8 are in the same room |
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Scholars usually do not receive homework because of the chores they have to do at home |
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Older scholars help younger scholars learn |
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Basic subjects are stressed: reading, writing, spelling, english, arithmetric - the old fashion method. Other subjects taught are geography, history, penmanship, health, german writing/reading, and singing. |
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Each school has between 25 to 35 scholars |
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Scholars and the teacher keep the school clean |
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Amish men take care of the heavy upkeep of the school |
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Amish schools accept no local or government funds to support their schools even though the Amish pay the same taxes as the English. The community supports the school |
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Teachers are usually unmarried and only a couple years older than her/his 8th grade pupils. They usually have no education beyond the 8th grade |
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Teachers salary varies but is usually around $25 a day |
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Parents visit the school unannounced |
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The Amish all male school board meets once a month and has 3 to 5 members |
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Drinking water is hand pumped |
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Lanterns provide light except for the Old Order Mennonites which use electricity |
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Outhouses serve as toilets |
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Supplies, such as blackboards, needed for the school are purchased from schools that are being torn down |
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Religion is not taught in the school but a Christian example is expected |
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In 1972 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Amish right to religious liberty in the school |
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The price of a one room school in the late 1980's was approximately $18,000 plus lots of donated labor. The price covered building, outhouses, shelves, and blackboards. Usual size is 34' x 30' or a total of 1,000 sq. feet. Land is usually donated by an Amish owner. |
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In 1989 in Lancaster County, there were 4,650 scholars in 156 schools. 103 of those schools were Old Order Amish. 53 schools were Old Order Mennonite. |
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Late 1980's costs in Lancaster
County of Amish versus public schools. Annual per pupil cost of instruction:
Amish $200 Public $3,445 Sq ft construction of new school: Amish $18 Public $95 |
| Train a child in the way he
should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 |
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Scholars have visited this site since Dec 1999
