amish illinois

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.