# When did Spring Break and Easter become disconnected?



## DurocShark (Mar 20, 2011)

Growing up, Easter was always the last day of Spring Break. This year, Easter is like a month later?!?!?!

Did I just notice something that's been happening for a while? 

My calendar shows Easter is 4/24. But Spring Break starts tomorrow. 

:island:


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## lwalden (Mar 20, 2011)

Easter can take place between late March and late April, based on when the full moon falls. It's normally the Sunday following the first full moon (I believe it's called the Paskhal moon)after the vernal equinox (1st day of spring). Since we just had a full moon last night, and the 1st day of spring isn't until Monday or Tuesday (21st or 22nd?), it wont be until the Sunday after the next full moon.


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## DurocShark (Mar 20, 2011)

Right, but I thought Spring Break was always scheduled as the week before Easter...


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## Daniel (Mar 20, 2011)

donno bout no spring break / easter connection. Spring break here was last week. Duh Bunny is gonna be PO'd when he finds out.


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## lwalden (Mar 20, 2011)

We've got spring break for different schools starting two weeks ago, last week, and next week.


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## its_virgil (Mar 20, 2011)

Spring break is arbitrary (or non existent) and is set by each entity that offers a spring break so it can be anytime they decide. Easter is set with the rules outlined by Lyle. There is no connection between the two. I taught in a school for 32 years with no spring break for the first 15 years I was there. I just looked at several schools around my hometown and they all use a different week for spring break. Some last week, some this week, some next week, and a few not at all.
Do a good turn daily!
Don



lwalden said:


> We've got spring break for different schools starting two weeks ago, last week, and next week.


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## monophoto (Mar 20, 2011)

Interesting question.

I'm reasonable certain that the concept of Spring Break originated as secular recognition of the religious holiday of Easter.  And while this may not be politically correct to say, I suspect that it originated in the Northeast where the Catholic church had strong influence over secular activities.  (When I was in school, we didn't have Spring Break.  That was a long time ago, but I also grew up in the South where the Catholic church was decidedly less influential.)

Today, it is my sense that Spring Break is viewed mainly as an entitlement to both teachers and students, and it is no longer a secular adjunct to a religious holiday.  

A related question might be asked about winter break.  Winter break originated in the early 1970's during the 'energy crisis'.  It was intended as a means by which schools could reduce their operating expenses by turning down the heating during the heart of winter.


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## Smitty37 (Mar 20, 2011)

*Easter*



monophoto said:


> Interesting question.
> 
> I'm reasonable certain that the concept of Spring Break originated as secular recognition of the religious holiday of Easter. And while this may not be politically correct to say, I suspect that it originated in the Northeast where the Catholic church had strong influence over secular activities. (When I was in school, we didn't have Spring Break. That was a long time ago, but I also grew up in the South where the Catholic church was decidedly less influential.)
> 
> ...


 
In Pennsylvania in the 40s and 50s there was no "spring break" we were given the religious holiday of Good Friday and sometimes also what we called Easter Monday off. Two days at most - Monday was given off so people traveling would not have to return home on Easter, they could travel on Monday.

I don't think it was influenced by the Catholic Church per se since all denominations of Christians celebrate Good Friday and Easter as religious holidays. Most northeastern states were more protestant than Roman Catholic - probably still are.

By the time my kids were in school in the 70s and 80s it was a week rather than 2 days and it was no longer related to Easter where there was no time off given.


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## Smitty37 (Mar 20, 2011)

*Today*



lwalden said:


> Easter can take place between late March and late April, based on when the full moon falls. It's normally the Sunday following the first full moon (I believe it's called the Paskhal moon)after the vernal equinox (1st day of spring). Since we just had a full moon last night, and the 1st day of spring isn't until Monday or Tuesday (21st or 22nd?), it wont be until the Sunday after the next full moon.


 
First day of spring is today....spring begins at 7:21pm EDT (I think) today.


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## DocStram (Mar 20, 2011)

Remember when school started the day after Labor Day?

Spring Break and Easter went the way of the first day of school beginning the day after Labor Day.  

Down here in Georgia, many public schools start on August 1st.


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## JerrySambrook (Mar 20, 2011)

DocStram said:


> Remember when school started the day after Labor Day?
> 
> Spring Break and Easter went the way of the first day of school beginning the day after Labor Day.
> 
> Down here in Georgia, many public schools start on August 1st.



Doc,  You do know there is at least ONE good jab at your last sentence to be made?:biggrin:


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## DocStram (Mar 20, 2011)

JerrySambrook said:


> DocStram said:
> 
> 
> > Remember when school started the day after Labor Day?
> ...



Jerry . . . . being "the Boards' Most Moderated Member" is taking it's toll on you.  Thanks for using a little self-regulation!  :biggrin:


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## Padre (Mar 20, 2011)

Doc,
as a Priest and a former member of a School Board, I can answer your question.

It used to be that Spring break was ALWAYS tied to Easter.  Most schools in New York had a two week Spring break, the week before and the week after Easter.

In the late 1980's a few school systems were sued because it was unfair to tie Spring break to a Christian holiday.  Then, all schools separated Spring break from Easter and just started scheduling it independently.  This is also when most School Boards took the Spring break to one week and added a February break.  This was on the advice of the Surgeon General who put out a study that giving one week breaks helped curb the flu/cold cycles in educational facilities.   

Hope this helps.


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## DurocShark (Mar 20, 2011)

Thanks Chip. That fits with my experience. I just hadn't stopped to think about it until now.


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## TellicoTurning (Mar 20, 2011)

When I was going to school down in Texas, Football practice started in mid August... School started after Labor Day and then sometimes there were breaks after about 2 weeks when the cotton crop was ready so those who worked on the farms could pull the cotton... then the machine to pull cotton was invented and came into general usage, so school started and then just ran on through... I seem to remember, and it's pushing  back to remember that far back that spring break was tied to Easter... Never notices when it was separated. 

In Petaluma, CA, when I was working in Marin County, school went year round, so there wasn't a need for spring break, summer break, or other breaks.... the schools went in 6 or 9 week cycles (don't remember which since at the time my kids weren't in the Petaluma schools)... usually had 2 weeks between semester... from what I heard, the parents loved the cycles.


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## Smitty37 (Mar 21, 2011)

*School year*

When I was in school in PA (1943 to 1955) - the school year started the day after labor day and ended within about 3 or 4 days after Memorial Day.  We had no days off in September or October.  Half a day off on November 11, Thursday and Friday off at Thanksgiving.  We got off (unless it fell on a weekend) from December 24 through January 2.  In February we got 1/2 day Feb 12 and a full day on Feb 22 off.  In March we got Good Friday and some years Easter Monday off unless Easter fell in April such that we would have no days off in March.  In April, no days off unless Good Friday fell in April.  May we got no days off but were released early on Memorial day after attending a service led by the American Legion.  The earliest school got out was Memorial Day and the latest was June 7th.  Most years it was the 3rd or 4th of June.  

Some years they had a day they called "Teachers Institute" which today I believe is referred to as "in service training".  That was sometimes in the spring and sometimes in the fall.  If it was in the spring it was usually  on Easter Monday.

There was a little variation from school district to school district with the bigger schools located in cities having a little more time off during the year and getting out a little later in the summer.  Pennsylvania was just starting the "consolidation" process about the time I graduated.

Schools started fall sports practice when school started (rather than a couple of weeks earlier like when my kids were in high school) and the Football season usually ended with the big rivalries being held on Thanksgiving Day.


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## Jgrden (Mar 21, 2011)

It is our hedonistic society that drives us. Many changes made due to influences long ignored. It is no longer the traditional White Anglo Saxon or White Anglo Roman way of life. We are now a minority.


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