Continuing our look at relics of the past, the one-room schoolhouse. I think the country schoolhouse definitely fits the category of cultural items that have come and gone in North America (but for a few pockets here and there). The Amish are probably the most obvious example of a group maintaining the small rural school [...]
Continue reading Old schoolhouses
News from yet another Kentucky Amish SMV case: defendants will have a PA Dutch interpreter following difficulties understanding court proceedings. In this latest case (the third this year in KY, in Logan County), four Amish, including one woman, have been cited for not displaying the orange triangle. Even though Amish speak English from a young [...]
Continue reading Interpreting for Amish in court
We got a lot of interesting guesses on the Allen County mystery shack. Everything from a portable toilet to a shepherd shelter to an Amish buggy camper. Now, I will preface this by saying that being Sunday, I did not have a chance to confirm. But I’m pretty sure this: has to do with this: [...]
Continue reading Mystery shack explained?
A little while back I gave an interview for a newspaper column on Amish frugality. One example which I think captures the mindset (and which I wish I’d shared) was what happens at Amish schools in the summer time. What happens? Well, this: All that green stuff you see, that’s normally the schoolyard 8-9 months [...]
Continue reading What happens at Amish schools in the summer…
Which Bible do Amish use? Typically, the Amish use the German Martin Luther version, particularly for church readings. For an English version, the most favored translation is the King James edition (KJV). Some Amish use the New International Version (NIV) as well. Often, the Bible Amish read in the home will have a dual format-German [...]
Continue reading The “Amish Bible”, and the appeal of Bible story books
I just read an article by Donald Kraybill which examines Amish and obedience (http://goo.gl/Sb7e7). In the piece, Kraybill explains why Amish use physical punishment to discipline children, citing an Amish mother named Hannah: Hannah explained that, when children are about two years old, their wills need to be broken. If it’s not done at that stage, [...]
Continue reading Amish children and spanking
Wisconsin is North America’s #4 Amish state, after the “big three” of Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio. Amish first began settling in Wisconsin in the early 20th century. America’s “Dairy State” has been a popular destination for Amish–today, there are nearly 4 dozen Amish communities in Wisconsin. Amish in Wisconsin facts: The largest Wisconsin Amish settlement [...]
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Today marks the fourth anniversary of the Nickel Mines Amish school shootings. I’d like to share two items with you. The recently-released paperback version of Amish Grace features a Q-and-A with Charles Roberts’ mother Terri, whom Donald Kraybill interviewed earlier this year. In it, she discusses her feelings on learning of the shooting, the Amish [...]
Continue reading Healing on both sides of the Nickel Mines tragedy, four years on
I’ve been looking forward to this new addition to Amish America for a long time. Various questions seem to recur on Amish topics. I thought it might be nice to put together a resource to try to answer some of those questions. The Amish Online Encyclopedia (AOE) covers a variety of subjects including Amish culture, [...]
Continue reading New to Amish America: The Amish Online Encyclopedia
I’ll be filling in for Suzanne Woods Fisher on the Amish Wisdom program again today. Very much looking forward to speaking with my guest, Karen Johnson-Weiner. Karen is professor of anthropology at SUNY-Potsdam, and author of numerous books and publications on the Amish including Train Up a Child: Old Order Amish and Mennonite Schools, and [...]
Continue reading Karen Johnson-Weiner on Amish Wisdom radio today
