Walker auditorium was full of excited students on the night of Wednesday, October 1, as Mr. Craig Bradley, head of school, announced the annual fall holiday. At 9:30 p.m., students received an email from Mr. Bradley announcing an immediate meeting.  Screams of excitement filled campus as students quickly ran from their dorms to the main building in anticipation of a holiday announcement. Emily Beutner ’22, said, “It was really fun to see everyone’s reactions after getting Mr. Bradley’s email because it was my first time being a part of a tradition like this one.”

The holiday was in honor of the class of 1953, who recently visited campus for their 65th reunion from September 28 to 30. The class of 1953 has been recognized over the years for their active involvement and generous support of the Hotchkiss community through donations, volunteer work, and a large presence on the Board of Trustees. Rusty Chandler, Larry Flinn, and Phil Pillsbury are three members of the class who served as trustees and were present at the reunion.

The holiday gave students and faculty an opportunity to relax, catch up on sleep, spend time with friends, and talk to family. Many students spent Wednesday night in the main building at the student-hosted dance, or spent time with friends in the dorms. Luckily, after a series of cold, rainy days, warm weather came to Lakeville on Thursday, which allowed students to spend time outdoors in places like Elfers Patio or VS Beach, or practice sports. Buses transported students to Millerton, N.Y., where they crowded the restaurants waiting for tables. For visual arts students, a lecture in Tremaine Gallery on the process of curating the Forest, Field, and Water exhibit capped the holiday, while other students ordered take out dinners and enjoyed their last moments of unstructured time. Amelia Wang ’21, said, “The holiday gave me and my friends the chance to walk to the new Green Café in Lakeville, which isn’t something I have time for on a normal school day.”