Wizards and Magicians in School

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 43412


OK, I realize I've been shooting my mouth off with wild speculations
about student and wizard populations. Some of which I still stand by.

For example:

I still say the JKR saying Hogwarts has an enrollment of 1,000; is not
a statement of absolute student population, but typical or average. I
speculated that typically 1,000 means 600 to 1,400. Someone who's name
will not be mentioned (cough:Gery Wolf:cough) said that the plus/minus
40% was way too much (not a direct quote). I check the undergraduate
enrollment at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus, and
enrollment has fluctuated 32% in the last 20 years (peak 1982/valley
1994). Give a very stable school with a very stable state population,
the 32% figure makes me stand firmly by my plus/minus 40% number. I
admit that still doesn't help us determine the current number of
students, but given the apparent class sized of Harry's year, it would
seem reasonable that enrollment is down.

The famous number 20, which the person who will not be named
(cough:Gery Wolf:cough) mathematically stomp on (in a friendly way). I
still stand by my statement that 20 cauldrons or 20 brooms does not
equal 20 students. However, even accepting that, the numbers still
can't be completely resolve. 

To the point-

This brings us to the multiple campus theory, which I can't quite buy
give JKR's statement that the are no other wizarding schools. I've
given more thought to the multiple campus theory, and have concluded I
can only buy it with some variations to the basic theory.

So, here's my variation to the theory, which is not necessary
original, but I think I added some minor twists.

Rowling says there are no other Wizardry/Witchcraft school in Britain,
so I say that they are NOT Wizarding school, they are instead,
magician schools. Think magician as in technician. These are similar
to trade schools. I know other people have already thought of this,
but I thought I would add my thoughts to the discussion.

Here is how I see it. First, I'm don't think when students graduate
from Hogwarts they get a certificate from the Ministry of Magic that
says you are now a fully qualified, license, registered, certified
wizard. I think the qualification is in the education, like having a
degree from Harvard, that education carries weight and commands
respect. These students and their education represent the best of the
best. The Harvard of the wizard world. (Would that be the Cambridge of
the wizard world to people in Britain?)

True, when they graduate, they are legally adult wizards, but that's
an age thing, not education.

Now to all the missing children. They are in Magician (think
technician) schools. In these school they don't get advanced subjects
like arithmacy, wizard's history, or muggle studies. They get charms,
spells, potions, and basic transfiguration. In some cases there may be
elective classes that allow you to specialize in practical fields like
Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures or advanced studies in the basic
four. It's basic magic and specialized appliable technical knowledge.

I envision the equivalent of 3 yrs of Hogwarts training makes you a
magician apprentice. 

Five years training makes you a magician journeyman. From there on,
you gain your credibility and validation through real life practical
applied experience and demonstrated skill. You are still capable of
going as far in life as your talent will take you, you simple don't
have the Hogwarts/Harvard/Cambridge type credentials.

3 yr Magician Apprentice-
basic unskilled labor - Stan Shunpike - Knight Bus conductor.

5 yr Magician Journeyman
skilled labor force - the people who do the manual labor part of
making broom, sewing gowns, warehousing potion ingredients,
manufacturing quills, formulating inks, printing newspaper,
occasionally rising to lower/middle management or starting their own
business, perhaps even becoming successfully entrepreneurs, etc...

A 5 year Journeyman program would turn out a pretty substantial
magician. This is someone who would have a very high degree of
functional magical knowledge, and certainly would be a competent
desirable employee.

7 yr Hogwarts Wizards and Witches-
Highly skill, Middle/Upper management, business owners, entrepreneurs,
adventurers, Aurors, government, etc...

The ONLY school that turns out fully train, fully qualified, NEWT
verified, seven year trained wizards and witches, hence, the only true
school of Wizardry and Witchcraft. 

This certainly allows us to have multiple schools while at the same
time having only one school of Wizardry and Witchcraft.

This certainly allows us to expand the wizarding population to a
pretty substantial size.

While there is no canon to support this, it is a reasonable
explaination that allows us to resolve the most common conflicts. And,
it very closely mimics the UK educational system where students are
allowed to quit when they are age 16 (journeyman) after completing the
first qualifications tests (A levels (or whatever) or in our case
OWLS). A magician journeyman who has taken his OWLS has some
documented proof of his knowledge and ability, that would make it easy
for him to get a job.

Keep in mind that we are dealing with a somewhat backward society.
Since, in this behind the times society, there are no universities,
the extra two years of Hogwarts becomes the equivalent of a university
education in our modern society. Five years being the luxury of middle
class, and the 3 yr being the ordinary working man education.

I think this makes more sense than multiple campuses of Hogwarts. 

That's my story and I'm sticking too it.

bboy_mn