The typical Green Key activities, such as weekend Greek parties and events on the Green, are not attractive to those who are not undergraduates at the College, making the weekend just like any other.
Faculty, administrators, Dartmouth staff and townsfolk say Green Key Weekend means very little to them -- this weekend's events are for the students.
"Green Key I've never quite hooked into," Biology professor Jonathan Rothblatt said. "I'm usually more aware of the fall events ... like the bonfire."
Doug Morse, the music buyer for the Dartmouth Bookstore, said Green Key brings in more people, which boosts business, which always pleases him and other local merchants.
"Do I feel festive about it?" Morse said. "No."
"I like it as a chance to meet up with other alums," said Whit Spaulding '89, owner of Wheelock Books. But he said he will not participate in the events this year because he has other plans.
Spaulding also commented on a decline in the festivities.
"There used to be a lot more events when I was an undergraduate," he said. He mentioned yesteryear's Hums competitions and softball games between professors and students.
"A lot of things have changed," Spaulding said. People, not just students at Dartmouth, contribute less emphasis than they once did for community activities, he said.
"As an adult member of the community ... it's no different than any other weekend," he said.
Daniell said the same thing can be said about any of the three big weekends at Dartmouth: Homecoming in the Fall term, Winter Carnival in the Winter term and Green Key. "It's not a big deal for folks."
Daniell said he plans to speak Friday in Epping about Dartmouth's role in the Civil War and Saturday he will speak to the reunion committee of the Class of 1956. Trout-fishing and tennis may also fill his weekend.
Dean of the College Lee Pelton said he will be busy this weekend with the Alumni Council. He said he has never been a part of Green Key.
Area youngsters unaffiliated with the College simply do not know about Green Key Weekend. Hanover High sophomores A.J. Beard and Nathan Shukwit said they were not familiar with Green Key.
"I'm going to the Handel Society concert," said Marie Loeffler, an administrative assistant in the music department, when she was asked about her plans for the weekend.
Pat Henricks, an administrative assistant for the drama department said she is more interested in the events at the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts.
"I'm probably going to the Frost plays as well as David Dorfman," she said.
A townswoman who asked to remain anonymous suggested the College publicize the weekend more to attract local interest.
"I'm sure you'd get a lot of interest," she said.
