s ▁best ▁known ▁and ▁best ▁loved ▁tradition , ▁d ating ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s . ▁One ▁day ▁in ▁October , ▁after ▁the ▁first ▁fro st , ▁classes ▁are ▁cancel led ▁so ▁that ▁students , ▁fac ulty , ▁and ▁staff ▁can ▁clim b ▁nearby ▁T ink er ▁Mountain ▁while ▁we aring ▁color ful ▁and ▁silly ▁cost umes . ▁After ▁a ▁l unch ▁of ▁f ried ▁ch icken ▁and ▁T ink er ▁C ake , ▁the ▁students ▁and ▁new ▁fac ulty ▁perform ▁sk its ▁and ▁sing ▁songs ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁campus . ▁The ▁exact ▁date ▁of ▁the ▁celebr ation ▁is ▁a ▁closely ▁held ▁secret . ▁ ▁Academ ics ▁ ▁H oll ins ▁offers ▁small ▁classes ▁with ▁a ▁ 9 : 1 ▁student - te acher ▁ratio ▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁maj ors . ▁The ▁most ▁popular ▁maj ors ▁are ▁English , ▁psych ology , ▁studio ▁art , ▁business , ▁and ▁bi ology . ▁Currently ▁H oll ins ▁offers ▁gradu ate ▁programs ▁in ▁dance ▁( M . F . A .), ▁cre ative ▁writing ▁( M . F . A .), ▁children ' s ▁literature ▁( M . A ., ▁M . F . A .), ▁liberal ▁studies ▁( M . A . L . S .), ▁play writing ▁( M . F . A .), ▁screen writing ▁and ▁film ▁studies ▁( M . A ., ▁M . F . A .), ▁and ▁teaching ▁( M . A . T .). ▁, ▁H oll ins ▁offers ▁a ▁gradu ate - level