So, a few interesting facts about sabbaticals....

Sabbaticals have both Biblical and Pagan (Lunar) Origins with roots to the Hebrew day/year of rest (7th day and 7th year). The rest days according to phases of the moon (Pagan origin) and God’s decision to rest (on the 7th day). There is also a social equity origin to sabbaticals (rest on the 7th day for relief of underprivileged) and also in the history of debt and Slave Relief (social equity based on the 7th year practice of releasing slaves from service).

The institutional history of sabbaticals is as follows: Harvard began offering them first (in 1880) as Harvard does everything first.... Then Cornell (1885), Wellesley (1886), Brown (1891), Amherst (1898), and later for Stanford (1988) and UC-Berkeley (1999). The origin in academe was to permit study, research and “other forms of improvement” for faculty, but also for “increased capacity for usefulness to the university…”

The modern day application is for many reasons, including to provide a cyclical vs. linear method of life and career planning. A great resource is Radical Sabbaticals (www.fastcompany.com).

More to come!!!!