Hogwarts in the Context of the British Public School

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" <drednort at a...>
wrote:

> No, it's a post sent about a week ago "Hogwarts School of 
> Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Context of the British Public 
> Schools."

I finally reached that post (105610 of 106734) and *Good* Catlady
wrote comments!

Shaun, it seems (from the style of in-line 'footnotes') that you
intended the stuffy academic writing style, therefore presumably aimed
at a stuffy academic journal. I don't understand why an essay intended
to "increase people's enjoyment and understanding of the series" isn't
written in a more enjoyable style with the intention of being
published in some general-interest magazine or even newspaper where
readers who aren't university professors will read it. I know you have
a writing style that is very enjoyable to read, because you use it for
your normal posts.

<< But such meta-analysis is somehow unsatisfying to many readers.>>

Isn't meta-analysis, in this context, a term invented on HPfGU?

<< People want literature to appear real in the sense that it should
be internally consistent. We are shown a school of magic with obvious
influences from our own Muggle world. Some of us naturally wish to
find explanations for those influences. >>

No, *fans* want literature to appear real ... to find explanations for
[everything].

<< As most public schools were single sex establishments, there was no
need for titles that included a gender distinction, nor was there
much pressure to have two such offices. >>

Didn't some listie say that she had been Deputy Head Girl at her
all-girls school?

<< Bill Weasley holds a responsible position as a curse breaker at
Gringotts (Rowling, 1999, p.12) and is successful enough that he can
apparently ignore the conventions of normal wizarding dress >>

:) But I suspect that Bill's style is not as uncommon among employed
young wizards as Molly wants us to think.

<< unlike many of the historically great Headmasters, he does not seem
to be a clergyman >>

Here's a question actually related to your essay: WHY were they
clergymen? Actually, I mean, why would clergymen want to be
headmasters of snob schools rather than ministering to a congregation
or running a soup kitchen?   

<< In simple terms, what is described as having happened at Hogwarts
historically seems no worse than that which happened at many other
schools. >>

I thought Filch spoke longingly of racks and thumbscrews and hanging
them from the ceiling by their handcuffs...

What other parts of the tradition is Hogwarts missing? As an ignorant
American, the only one I know for sure is compulsory chapel.

Why doesn't Hogwarts have a prize-giving ceremony near the end of the
school year, with prizes for .... gods, I don't know what the
wizarding equivalent of "best Latin epigram" would be.  

Why doesn't Hogwarts have any music or arts education, apparently no
foreign languages or maths?