Over the last two years, members of the Amish community have slowly migrated to South Central Pennsylvania.

This past November,  the Amish community built Lilac Glen school on Rockville Road on the outskirts of Glen Rock, next to where art teacher Wesley Myers lives. 

“I think they started building it in October or November. It didn’t directly impact me, other than I saw its progress. It’s considerably smaller than our school. It has the size, shape and dimensions of an old one room schoolhouse. They have two restrooms in the back, outhouses that are just cinderblock, one for boys and one for girls. Maybe a month ago they put up a baseball backstop for recess. One of the last things I saw them put in were hitching posts so the horses can get tied up,” said Myers.

The construction of the school has enabled Myers to learn more about the Amish lifestyle.

“I’m certainly learning more and more… we’ve met with the farm beside us, the property owners that have the schoolhouse. They’re a young couple in their mid thirties with five kids. We’ve gone down to their house before, and the kids were playing. As much as we’re different, we’re kind of all the same,” said Myers. “They’re just a young couple with kids and have some of the similar struggles and frustrations- marital stresses, trying to get your kids to behave, and trying to pay bills and work hard- they have the same things. The more we’ve sat and just chatted, the more we find out we’re not that much different.”

Myers says that traffic by his house has increased due to the buses that take the kids.

“It’ll definitely increase traffic, mostly in small buses and vans, since the Amish families that have moved over here in the past two years are kind of close knit, but still spread somewhat far apart, some are in Lineboro, some are in Springfield Township, some are in Codorus Township, some are here. Even though they’re kind of in the same area, by horse travel it still takes a long time, so when they got this kind of centralized school, some kids walk, some kids come by horse and buggy, but some come by a kind of motorized transportation,” said Myers.

Even though Amish people aren’t allowed to drive cars, they can still ride in them.

“Typically I’ve seen the Amish community drive very cautiously and respectfully on the roadway. They’re usually very good with pulling over to the side of the road as necessary and letting traffic flow through smoothly. They don’t typically cause any congestion issues or anything of the sort,” said Krodel.

Krodel thinks that the building of the school may add to a minor increase in traffic.

“I think it’ll have a minor impact. I don’t think it’ll be anything game changing, but it’s going to cause students, staff, and faculty from the school and just in the area to exercise a little more caution, to be a little more alert and aware, and to keep an eye out for those vulnerable vehicle types that are horses and buggies,” said Krodel.

To stay safe on the road with buggies, Krodel advises drivers to use caution.

“I’d say make sure that you’re staying alert at all times, avoiding distractions, don’t drive too close to the buggies, because the horses can sometimes get frightened and move erratically. Horses and buggies can drive up to 20 mph, so it can make it tricky when you go to pass them, because you assume they’re driving faster than they are, or not as fast – either way it’s hard to judge it. Make sure you are passing legally and safely if you go to pass them. Don’t pass them on any type of curb or anything like that. Make sure you’re staying alert and giving them as much space as possible.”

Despite cultural differences, Glen Rock can be a home to all people.