The Scale of Things

[jferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 43366

We've both said our piece about how far we can go speculating on 
canon, so we'll agree to disagree, but on other matters:

Grey Wolf:"Let's take a closer look at that affirmation. 1000 
students means 143 students per year. We know that, in Harry's year, 
there are twenty students if you add up Gryyfindor and Hufflepuff (by 
the number of ear-thingies in the greenhouse) and another twenty 
between Gryffindor..." [You go on to recap the problems with the 
1,000 student figure]

We agree, actually. I have the same problems with where the 1,000 
students are as you do. During a previous iteration of the 'how many 
students' debate, and there's been plenty, I looked at some other 
figures and came up with 467 (let's say 450-500) students. That's a 
lot more explainable and not so far apart with the 300 student party. 
That number isn't enough for a viable wizarding society, either.

OTOH, I think JKR's the boss, and we have to give pronoucements from 
interviews a great deal of deference. 

Grey Wolf:"IIRC, someone made the necessary calculations for 
the wizard population from the 280 students, and got about 5000 
people, and declared that it was not enough to keep the industries 
running."

I've been one of those people.  Canon clearly shows us a thriving 
wizard society and economy with lots of industry, retail, 
entertainment, Qudditch teams, and a bureaucracy seemingly worthy of 
the European Union in Brussels. I think 20,000 is marginal, and 5,000 
to 6,000 out of the question, to support that. I've argued elsewhere 
against comparing 5000-6000 to a small town.

The idea of more schools [you would say campuses] sure would make 
things easier. Then the size of wizard society wouldn't be nailed to 
the student census at Hogwarts. I would have found other schools 
altogether easier to believe, but JKR says no. I think that has to 
include other branches called Hogwarts.  What it really means is that 
JKR did not work things out as thoroughly as we've heard.

Grey Wolf:"Grey Wolf, who'd like to know what he can call "jferer", 
since this screen name is somewhat impersonal."

Sorry. Thanks for the debate,

Jim Ferer