Although the Amish look like they stepped out of the rural nineteenth century, in fact they do change. Their lives move more slowly than ours, but they definitely are not stuck anywhere. They choose to examine change carefully before they accept it. If the new idea or gadget does not assist in keeping their lives simple and their families together, they probably will reject it. The Amish drive horses and buggies rather than cars, do not have electricity in their homes, and send their children to private one-room schoolhouses.
Children attend only through the eighth grade.
After that, they work on their family's farm or business until they marry. Most Amish are trilingual. They speak English when they deal with anyone who is not Amish. Old Order Amish women and girls wear modest dresses made from solid-colored fabric with long sleeves and a full skirt. These dresses are covered with a cape and apron and are fastened with straight pins or snaps.