On the night of December 17th, Eaglebrook School held the last Candlelighting in Gibbs Dining Hall. For over fifty years, Gibbs has been the main dining space on campus, where students and faculty gather for daily meals. This final Candlelighting was the last time the tradition took place in Gibbs before the transition to the new dining hall.
Candlelighting is one of Eaglebrook’s oldest traditions. It began with Head of School Mr. Thurston Chase, Mr. Andrew Chase ’73’s great-grandfather, at his church in the Berkshires, and was then brought to Eaglebrook. The event has been a time for reflection and gathering. The ceremony was first held outdoors, then moved indoors, and has taken place in Gibbs Dining Hall for many years.
The evening followed the familiar rhythm of Candlelighting, but the setting gave it new meaning. After a holiday music concert featuring the String Orchestra, Band, Chorus, Ad Libs, and student soloists, the community gathered in Gibbs for a special Candlelighting celebration. Student groups sang carols, with World Language singers performing in French, Spanish, Latin, and Chinese; faculty members also joined in. Though these elements reflected long-standing tradition, this year they carried added weight as the final Candlelighting held in Gibbs Dining Hall.
Once the musical performances concluded, our Head of School, Mr. Andrew Chase ’73, spoke about the significance of Candlelighting and recited the phrase traditionally associated with the event, “As one light lights another, nor grows less, so nobleness enkindles nobleness.” The room then joined in song, Adeste Fideles, continuing a practice repeated year after year during Candlelighting in Gibbs Dining Hall.
Gibbs Dining Hall has hosted Candlelighting for many years and is closely tied to the tradition. The building has also been where students have had breakfast, lunch, and dinner for generations. As Eaglebrook moves dining to a new facility, Gibbs will no longer be a dining hall. After the new dining hall opens this spring, Gibbs will be renovated for classroom use, allowing the building to continue supporting the school’s needs.
