An Amish school house located in the Arthur Amish
Country.

Amish Education

Almost all of the Amish children here in central Illinois attend Amish
run schools.  The Arthur area has fourteen parochial schools and five
special education for the Amish children.  In our rural area we still
have some Amish families that will send their children to the local public
schools.  The Amish schools around the central Illinois area are
usually one or two room rural schools and they are staffed with their own
teachers.  These teachers are usually Amish men or women who have
completed eighth grade.

Amish children start school at the age of six and attend elementary
school through their eighth grade.  The Amish children walk, ride
bicycles, or drive a horse and buggy to school.  Each school is
overseen by trustees to make up a board and records are kept for state
inspection.  The Amish schools are funded by the church districts.
The school building have wood or gas stoves and no electricity.  The
Amish schools are built to use natural lighting.

In school the Amish children learn English, reading, spelling, and
penmanship.   In arithmetic the Amish are taught addition,
subtraction, multiplication, decimals, division, and weights and
measurements to use in everyday life.  All books that are used in the
Amish schools are selected by the trustees.

Amish schools stress community and accuracy rather than speed.
Also, honesty, love, and cooperation are regarded highly by the Amish in
education.  The older Amish children help out the younger children in
the shared classrooms.  Amish families in the school district rotate
preparing a hot lunch for the students. If a major expense arises the Amish
school raises money by holding a auction or bake sale where all the Amish
families in the district contribute.

Most of the Amish children look forward to leaving school and starting on
their chosen careers.  Work is usually waiting for them at home on the
farm.  The Amish boys are expected  to help with farming or to
contribute in the wood working shops.  The Amish girls learn hot to
manage other younger children and contribute around the household.

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