The "So Who Are These People That Ride In Buggies? - Part III" Story

It was an ordinary day.  A few more bits of history of the Old Order Amish begins with the fact that the Amish are against extended education.  They feel it isn't necessary beyond reading, writing and arithmetic.  Back in the early 1950s local school districts were consolidated and minimum age requirements were increased and "worldly" subjects such as physical education were included in the curriculum.  That did it for the Amish community.  

A Lancaster County one-room Amish school.  Swing set can be
seen in the school yard with water pump outside of school.
School bell is on top of the building. Click on photos to enlarge.

They didn't want their children taught in schools where they would be exposed to values such as individual- ism, evolution, material- ism, secularism and competitiveness, since this would undermine the Amish lifestyle.  So, they decided to build their own one-room schools and start their own parochial system of education.  They believe that work is just as important as school and therefore only require their children to go as far as 8th grade.  

Another one-room Amish school.

Both the Old Order Mennonites and Old Order Amish do pay public school taxes.  The Amish school teachers are primarily female Amish school graduates who return to teach the subjects they had just finished learning.  Now, the Mennonites are quite different.  They have dozens of elementary schools, more than 20 high schools, 11 colleges and three seminaries sponsored by North American Mennonite groups.  They believe that education is a wholesome preparation for life.  As more and more Mennonites began to leave farm work, it became necessary for more schooling, thus the large network of private and use of public schools.  

Beautiful Lancaster County Amish farm.

Both the Amish and Mennonites are known as some of the world's best farmers.  I certainly can attest to that.  In Lancaster's Central Market there are many Amish and Mennonite stands that provide some of the best produce, fruit and meat in Lancaster County.  Travel throughout Lancaster County and you will find many farms with small stands along the road where you can buy the products they raise.  Most Amish farms are about 40 acres in size since they have to farm the land with only mule and horse drawn equipment.  

Corn can be seen on the left with tobacco on the right.

Crops usually include corn, alfalfa, wheat, barley, rye and tobacco.  Lancaster County is known as the Garden Spot of America due to the soil that is found in this area.  That means the the Amish farm yield is almost always excellent and usually greater than their "English" neighbors.  If you drive the back roads of Lancaster County you can usually tell which farms are Amish and which are "English".  The farms that have no electric lines running from the main road to the farm are Amish, since they don't believe in being connected to the outside world.  

Amish barn filled with tobacco which is curing.

Besides farming there are other occupations that are performed by the Amish such as cabinet making, buggy making and general construction.  The majority of Amish though are farmers.  That is totally different with the Mennonites who can be found in just about any occupation including politics.  I taught school with a Mennonite who I happened to have as a student when he was in high school.  He taught metal shop in the room next to me.  

This is the Amish buggy shop I visited.

After several years his father, who was a farmer, retired and he took over the farm from his father.  He met a young woman who taught with us, married her and she too left teaching to work on the farm.  I still stop often at their stand to buy vegetables and fruit.  Old Order Amish are not part of the United States Social Security System.  

Canned fruit and vegetables for sale at an Amish farm.

They gained an exemption years ago and now have their own system where they look after each other.  They also do not have health insurance and help their Brethren who may be in need as they age and may be in poor health.  They all participate in the cradle-to-grave system.   Many Mennonites sponsor their own retirement homes, Lancaster County having one such home.  They do allow those who are not Mennonite to become part of the community, but you must pay as you would if you wanted to enter any other retirement home.  Tomorrow I will take you along as I tell of weddings to funerals.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.