Parents, Amish Schools 

A Promise for Miriam released on July 1, and we’ve been talking about Amish schools, since the plot of this story revolves around an Amish schoolhouse. This week I thought I’d share a few things I learned about Amish parents:

1. They do repairs to the schoolhouse when needed.
2. They clean the schoolhouse the week before school begins.
3. They visit, without giving any notice.
4. They serve on the school board.
5. They take turns mowing the grass during summer months.
6. They provide chopped wood for the stove in winter.
7. They volunteer their home for school singings.
8. If a teacher is sick, parents and grandparents fill in–usually taking half day shifts (without pay).
9. They pay the teacher’s salary. The city doesn’t. The parents pay it. : ) Sometimes this is a “free will offering” – families pay what they can afford.
10. Parents attend school programs and picnics.

As you can see, some of this is very similar to our schools (attending picnics) and some is very different (mowing the yard and delivering chopped wood).

I hope you’re enjoying our discussions about Amish schools, and I hope that you will pick up a copy of A Promise for Miriam. It’s been very exciting to hear from readers this week.

Blessings,

~V

p.s. – You can now order paper or ebook copies from CBD and B&N and Amazon as well as other on-line sites and your neighborhood retail store. Also, please remember you have until Monday morning to enter this week’s drawing. Simply click here and you’ll see the post. I’m picking 5 winners this time!