Ask Mike: The origin of Spring Break
Hey Guys,
Across the country, college students are celebrating Spring Break. Some choose to spend the week hanging out at the beach. Others elect to build homes for the needy. I got to wondering–how did the Spring Break tradition get started?
The Los Angeles Times hosts an excellent article on the history of a “holiday gone wild.” In 1936, the swim team from Colgate University in New York traveled down to Fort Lauderdale to practice at “the first Olympic-size pool” in Florida. The excursion was a success. Eventually, Fort Lauderdale “started staging the College Coaches’ Swim Forum.” The event drew attention from nearby military posts. “One thing led to another,” and the modern Spring Break was born. By 1953, 15,000 students made the spring trek down to Ft. Lauderdale.
Another element that played a huge part in popularizing the holiday–the 1960 movie “Where the Boys Are.” In the film, college students, including a well-tanned George Hamilton, head to Florida for some rest, relaxation, and sensible good times. The flick, though cheesy, was a hit, and had a tremendous effect on that greatest of college traditions.
Some argue that Spring Break actually started far earlier. CoolestSpringBreak.com writes that Spring Break originated with the ancient Greeks. Of course, there were no beer bongs in those days, but the holiday did involve revelry in the warm weather.
The Orange County Register hosts an interesting timeline on Spring Break, and notes Fort Lauderdale may have started the modern Spring Break, but it isn’t the party-haven it once was. In 2005, only around 15,000 students came to Ft. Lauderdale. That’s a 96% decline from 1985. Somehow I doubt the residents of the Florida city are too upset about that.
So that’s the story of Spring Break. Do you guys have any plans for your week off (provided you’re lucky enough to have one)? Has the recession changed your Spring Break plans at all? Please leave a note below.
Thanks for reading,
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I’ve had all week off for Spring Break, but I didn’t go anywhere. I was supposed to go to Florida to visit my grandfather, but he’s recovering from his recent knee surgery. Maybe next year, I can go.
Hey, could you either point me to the egress or give me some more information about what’s going on here? This place is starting to really bum me out.
i do believe you just answered your own question!
Spring break is not a tradition to be “celebrated”…it’s a week off for school children as there are no major holidays between January 1 and Easter. It’s ostensibly a week off from studying for university students (called reading week in Canada), but often students use it to catch up on their assignments before the end of the semester and exams.
My spring break was last week.. My teachers gave me homework that was due over break (since when is that allowed?) so I went home to do homework and sleep! Nothing incredibly fun, but it was relaxing.
Planning on rock climbing, seeing Canada blooms, catch up on some readings and projects. Also, biking down to the river near my place with some friends.
i am fortunate to have a spring break, however, no plans yet! to be honest, i don’t know why either…my birthday even falls on the break, it would’ve been lovely indeed to getaway somewhere warm, but alas i will not. oh well. i’ll make the best of the pacific northwest
Well I would have to say I plan on playing my saxophone and learning to play piano. I am going to visit a friend or two and reconnect, take a break from the ball and chain of school, get organized while I can and be fresh for the next quarter of college.
this is bsast anser of this month
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!help me
I remember reading an article in Time in the late 1950s about the annual spring invasion of Fort LAuderdale. Evidently by then it was an established custom.
I’m a homeschooled 7th grader that doesn’t get spring break. *pout pout*
Honestly, who cares as long as we are getting a break?
Excuse to party in a pack?
Well, Spring Break, for me, Is a time off of school to relax, exspecially after exams/FCAT’s and just hanging with friends and gossiping. LOL
you still could have went whether he had knee problems or not, that should have been all the more reason to go, you young people are so lazy and inconsiderate
Puerto Rico!!!! Ten days in paradise. 80 degrees every day, sunny, beautiful beaches, snorkeling, horseback riding, going out with friends, RUM, Old San Juan. It was…amazing. Definitely got NO schoolwork done though (:
Norma above has it right – Spring Break is actually something all students – from grade 1 up to college – get off. The main reason for it is to break up the semester a bit as there are no big holidays in spring. Easter is on a Sunday, so nobody actually gets school off for it. The next really big holidays after Xmas/New Years are Memorial Day and July 4th – both during summer when schools already out. I’m an adult who’s back in school and I just had a week off of classes, but still had to work at my job, so no, I didn’t really go anywhere or do anything – plus I have an exam right away the following week so I had to study over break anyhow
Ft. Lauderdale discouraged high school and college kids preferring the more affluent. Now with tourism down, some are considering again inviting more students. The students who come now are more conservative and aren’t as much into the wet t-shirt contests but enjoy the sun and water. Ft. Lauderdale has become a large French Canadian winter home. I’m from So. FL.
I stayed in cold, cold Michigan and worked. Here is what my plan has been for the past three years: I stay at home during Spring Break and I work, a lot. I even take double shifts and extra hours. All that Spring Break money, then, goes towards having a really awesome and well-planned vacation in the summer. It works everytime.
Honestly, who cares as long as we are getting a break?
i agree with johny
And i ordered a itouch and was wondering if they sort at a dest faclity on sunday?they did on saturday
wow! i never knew that…thanks so much for informing us! ill share it with friends and family.
I’m just speculating here, but it’s probably for farming. Children get a week off school so they can help plow and sow seeds.
I always thought that spring break was a throwback to our agrarian roots, much like summer vacation. As summer “vacation” was to help on the farm, I thought spring break was to help with planting. I’m not researched in any of this, though, so don’t quote me.
i understand but break is time too relax most people dont understand that and please add me as a friend
im not sure on the tradition, but spring break was originally given to students in school so they could have time off to help parents plant/harvest on the farm. The same was true of summer time
Spring began much earlier than the time periods you’ve discussed. It began when the country was agriculturally based and farmers needed their keids home to help with planting in the spring. Likewise, schools originally closed for the summer as the children were needed to help on the farm. You’re WAYYYYY off!
This March Break I was off for half and then the rest of it I was stuck in Drivers ED where I had to wake up at 8am and stay in class from 9:30am till 4:30pm
it was so the older children could help get the planting done on the farm. every body helped
To the person that said I still could have gone, actually, no I couldn’t have. First of all, he is in rehab recovering. Some people like their space while recovering. My grandfather is one of those people. Second, you don’t know me or my family. Finally, you’re the inconsiderate one. Don’t be so quick to judge.
o yes i had spring break off this last week. i didn’t go anywhere. the recession has changed actually nothing in my life, i have always lived thriftily whether in good times or bad. wasting money is never a good idea. and why bother to spend more than a thousand dollars going to the Caribbean for spring break when you can wait and go in summer when the summer vacation is so long anyway?
i though spring break was the equivallent of semana santa but without the religiousness to it
Spring Break started when they stopped using Easter Break, because it wasn’t ‘politically correct’?
damn libs
Never understood the reason for spring break. I did not have it in High School. Not elementary kids get it. My first exposure to it was in college back in the early ’80’s. Never went anywhere or did anything. It became an excuse to travel and party. I partied anyway in college so I did not have to sneek away for a week to drink.
Still don’t understand the reason for it. I would think that that many would rather skip it and get out of school earlier. Although, it was a good time to get caught up on work or get a headstart on end of the semester projects.
We don’t have a winter break so why a spring break. The winter break actually comes at the end of the winter fall semester in mid December. You would think that the spring break would be the time between the end of the 2nd semester and the start of the summer semester.
Since then it has trickled down to kindergarten. I really don’t think that K-12 students need a spring break. The school my kids go to does not have one and they get a week out earlier then the other area schools at the end of the year and because of that we are the envy of the other school districts.
Spring break? ….. from Harvard ??????
yeah right!
Well, maybe for some of those rich undergrads, but for grad students, it’s just a week to partially catch up. If we’re lucky. I’m trying to finish my thesis and two papers and a TON of reading.
Well,… I may go and sit on the steps @ 2pm Thursday next to the statue of John Harvard and get some sun. If you see a pale, nerdy student there – Yup! That’s me.
At one time, Spring Break for school children was either the week immediately before or immediately after Easter – depending on whether Easter was early or late. Spring Break has evolved to be a particular week – usually in March, but not necessarily the same week everywhere.
Spring Break, at the university level, was originally introduced as an anti-suicide measure. Somehow, it has evolved into Reading Week at many colleges, which is almost contrary to its original purpose. Go Figure!
I believe the actual Spring Break started way back in the ancient Persia. Spring break in America is almost exactly the same time as the new year holidays of the Persian year. In case you don’t know, the Persian year started 3747 years and 3 days ago.
And yes, it is more than just a break. It’s actually a holiday.
The reason for the apparent decline in spring breakers, despite the efforts of the media to commercialize the event, is that so many have to work. It’s not like it used to be when college was relative cheap. Now it takes a small fortune. So, student get jobs and jobs don’t have spring break.
I had a week off but i spent the entire thing literally doing homework and working every day. I was glad when it was over lol. I guess I am rather jealous of all the college students going crazy and doing whatever they please with their break. More power to them tho!
“Of course, there were no beer bongs in those days”
You sick muck
i don’t have spring break until next week but me and my friends are going to go party it up. and the tradition started back in the 60s when like all semester the kids in college had to buckle down and really work hard and by the time spring break rolled around they were just ready to let loose and have fun after all the hard work and so now all the college kids go and party on spring break [:
If you think about it day ten is the same as day one. Since you have to use some new starter and make four more starter bags, I just buckle down, get a few aluminum baking pans and make five batches in one day. I keep one bread and give away the other ones. My neighbors love me and I vow not to do that again for at least a year.
Sorry, I meant to comment on the Friendship bread post
I wish my college did spring break. but they don’t.