History of Fox Day
The History of Fox Day
Explore the history of every Rollins student's favorite college tradition: Fox Day.
The Fox and the Cat
In January 1934, Hamilton Holt, who served as Rollins’ president from 1925 to 1949, acquired statues of a fox and a cat from Senator Murray Sams. These statues permanently stood on the walkway of Rec Hall—a structure the pool replaced.
Inspired by the two statues, Holt founded a “Cat Society” for women and a “Fox Society” for men. According to the Rollins Archives, these societies were exclusive groups made up of four women and four men each, elected by an annual vote of the student body. The women elected the foxes; the men elected the cats.
These privileged members were the only people permitted to touch the statues. But occasionally, the fox and cat were taken and hidden as practical jokes. The year 1949 was tragic because the cat statue was smashed beyond repair. To this day, the crime remains unsolved.
Beginning of a Tradition
On May 17, 1956, President Hugh McKean (1951-1969) started Fox Day. The grief-stricken, lonely fox was placed on the horseshoe, and the day’s classes were canceled. After a brief assembly, activities began at 5:30 a.m. with a treasure hunt, and ended with a square dance and a picnic in the evening.
The students enjoyed the tradition so well that in 1958, when President McKean discarded it, they resurrected Fox Day themselves. This initiated an agreement between the students and McKean, who granted them freedom for the day on the condition that they return in the evening for a picnic and a choir performance in the Knowles Chapel.
Fake Fox Day
When President Jack Critchfield (1969-1978) came to Rollins, he discontinued the tradition due to the turbulence of the sixties. The fox was given back to McKean, and the welfare of Rollins, its presidents and its traditions.
Perhaps hoping to revive the tradition, seven students decided to create their own statue of a fox. They then placed their creation on Mills Lawn in the early morning hours of May 3, 1976, thus creating their own—albeit fake—version of Fox Day.
Return of the Fox
The savvy fox found his way back to campus in 1979, during Thaddeus Seymour’s administration (1978-1990). Seymour said, “When I was president of Wabash College in Indiana, we had a similar day called ‘Elmore Day.’ It was very natural to me, and I believe any sensible college should have a day like this.” So the popular Fox Day was reinstated and continues today.
Though lacking a square dance and evening sing-a-long, Fox Day as it exists today still brings the Rollins community together to do something “as a college.” This Fox Day, you can expect free entertainment, snacks, and refreshment all day long.
President Brooke Barnett
2026 April 15
President Grant Cornwell
2025 Monday, April 7
2024 Wednesday, April 17
2023 Thursday, April 6
2022 Wednesday, April 6
2021 Tuesday, April 13
2020 Friday, April 17
2019 Thursday, April 11
2018 Tuesday, April 17
2017 Wednesday, April 19
2016 Wednesday, March 30
Craig McAllaster, acting president
2015 Wednesday, April 15
President Lewis Duncan
2014 Thursday, April 10
2013 Tuesday, April 2
2012 Thursday, March 29
2011 Wednesday, April 6
2010 Thursday, April 8
2009 Tuesday, April 7
2008 Tuesday, April 8
2007 Wednesday, April 11
2006 Tuesday, April 11
2005 Tuesday, April 12
President Rita Bornstein
2004 Tuesday, April 6
2003 Friday, April 11
2002 Thursday, April 11
2001 Wednesday, April 4
2000 Tuesday, April 18
1999 Tuesday, April 20
1998 Monday, April 20
1997 Monday, May 5
1996 Monday, April 22
1995 Monday, April 24
1994 Wednesday, April 27
1993 Monday, April 26
1992 Wednesday, April 29
1991 Monday, April 22
President Thaddeus Seymour
1990 Friday, April 13
1989 Tuesday, April 13
1988 Tuesday, March 22
1987 Thursday, April 16
1986 Monday, March 24
1985 Thursday, March 14
1984 Thursday, March 22
1983 Wednesday, March 23
1982 Friday, April 16
1981 Wednesday, April 15
1980 Tuesday, April 1
1979 Monday, April 23
Fred Hicks, acting president
1978 Tuesday, May 9
President Jack Critchfield
1970-1977 No Fox Day
President Hugh McKean
1969 Tuesday, May 13
1968 Tuesday, May 14
1967 Thursday, May 18
1966 Wednesday, May 18
1965 Tuesday, May 11
1964 Wednesday, May 6
1963 Thursday, May 2
1962 No Fox Day
1961 Friday, May 5
1960 Friday, May 13
1959 Friday, March 13
1958 Tuesday, February 18
1957 Tuesday, May 20
1956 Thursday, May 17