Marlborough’s first in-person ASM in over a year was held in the newly renovated Caswell Hall. The school has put in months of time and fundraising into redesigning Caswell, as well as the surrounding facilities.
The new Caswell has several accommodations that prioritize efficiency for the students. New technological additions, such as ‘talk’ buttons, allow for quick communication, saving seconds during a performance.
“[The talk buttons] allow for communication and give people in the performances time to be down there getting ready but still abreast of what’s going on…[This ability] is huge, and, frankly, gives it more of a professional feel,” Associate Director of Philanthropy Nadia Ammar said.
A fiber optic cable now connects the control room to the CEI media studio, which removes the hassle of physically transporting filmed content for editing. Now, you can immediately send out material between the studio and hall. Acoustic treatment on the walls prevents any echoing, ensuring the sound quality is excellent.
Facilities surrounding Caswell, such as athletics, were also included in renovations.
“We were so excited that [the athletic facilities] could be part of this project because the gym was built in the beginning of the 1980s. That’s a long time ago for nothing to have been done at all. Of course, the world has changed a lot since the early 80s, and… we really needed to look at that space and think how can it better serve our students,” Ammar said.
The small size of the athletic area was the main issue addressed; renovations tore down the U-shaped corridor near the locker rooms, allowing for 700 feet of classroom space.
In its place, a new wellness studio was added, open to use for classes such as yoga, emergency preparedness, dance and self-defense. Several students were impressed by the upgraded classrooms.
“All the areas just seem nicer- even the locker rooms have more space. All the new windows added make everything brighter, too,” student athlete Eloise ‘25 said.
While several improvements have been made, one of the most noticeable renovations is the newly added “Memory Wall.” Located just outside of Caswell’s main entrance, this wall contains signatures of donors who contributed to the renovations. Featured are small, handwritten notes about fond memories experienced in Caswell Hall, which range from comical anecdotes to emotional stories. One alumni recounted a warm experience from her time at the hall.
“During senior night, Joyce Marshall’s husband Wally let loose guinea pigs among the audience in the Hall,” she wrote.
As Ammar emphasizes, Caswell is the heart of Marlborough, and it was designed for everyone.
“Since the ‘30s, women have been coming to [Caswell], and they created memories and had experiences here that they still remember until today,” she said.
