American Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 26983

Rowena wrote:

>    We know of at least one, The Salem Witches'
> Institute, (and does the name indicate it is a girls'
> school? 

Actually, some Brits on the list have helped us out here.  Once you 
know about the Women's Institute, a British housewives' association, 
the play on words is obvious, as is the joke about the gossiping 
witches seen at the tent in question.  The witches of the SWI were 
middle-aged to boot.  So the SWI is probably not a school for 
Hogwarts-aged students, though Salem would certainly be a good place 
for one.

>    I would speculate there are several schools in the
> United States, (it being quite a large country). The
> oldest would be those established during colonial
> times, The Salem Institute(s) in New England and a
> second school in Virginia, (called what?). Both
> schools would have been founded by Hogwarts graduates,
> (as they were British Colonies). 
>    There would also be a School of similar age on the
> west coast of Hispanic origins, possibly founded by a
> Beauxbaton graduate or somebody from a lesser Spanish
> magic school, (it is implied there are smaller, less
> famous schools).

Not only on the west coast, but anywhere else the Spanish explored.  
And perhaps the French, Italians and Dutch got their magical hand in 
too?  The possibilities of a wizarding world as culturally varied as 
Muggle America are exciting!

Also, I imagine wizardry is well-known to Native Americans, so that 
the "Hogwarts of the West" could in fact have been established long 
before Hogwarts.

Amy Z
willing to commute to Salem

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 The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that
 stood alone in the middle of the grounds.
                 -HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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