Number of students

[Steve <bboy_mn@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51761

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Beth <belleps at o...> wrote:
> silveroak_us:
> > 1. ...  "twenty broomsticks lying ... on the ground." That would 
> > be ten for the Gryffs and ten> for the Slyths. 
> >
> > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> Annechan:
> >That's an easy point to explain. they simply split first year into
> > three groups.
> > - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

bel:
> It's even easier to explain. There are only 8 (or 10) Gryffindor
first years.
> 
> PS/SS p130, US PB
> Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and 
> the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase -- they 
> were obviously in one of the towers -- they found their beds at 
> last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains.
> 
> JMHO,
> bel

First, I've always been of the believe that the number 20 is used so
many times that it is a literary construct; an easy number to write
and visualize, so I don't put much weight in the number 20. 

Second, although this is unreasonable out of proportion it serves as
an illustration. The class is Intro to Flying Broomstick, for many it
is their first chance to try it. So, I say their could have been 60
students (not really, just an illustration), class is one hour with 15
minutes to get to their next class which leave 45 minutes of actual
class time. Twenty students at a time, each getting 15 to practice.
Obviously, there are not 60 student but but it divides by three
easily. We could use 40 student as a more practical number, and that
would give each group 22 minutes of flying time. Or, we could use 25
students, and the natural flyers like Harry, Ron, Draco, Seamus (the
last three with previous flying experience) get pulled off early to
give the 'overflow' students a chance. 

I'm not saying that happened, all I am saying is that 20 brooms is not
absolute proof of 20 students. Divinations class has 20 tables but you
can seat at least 3 at each table, and their are poofs/footstools that
people can sit on. So here is a class with much larger capacity that
20. I am aware that brooms and tables are not the equivalent in a
class room, but this is an example of when the number 20 comes up and
is not an accurate reflection of the class size. I think there are
something like a dozen examples that have been brought up of the
number 20 being used to describe something.

Another good example of how the number 20 can't be relied on. When
they come to Potions Class, there are 20 cauldrons. When you read the
story, Harry is always sharing a table/cauldron with someone (usually
Ron). Dean and Seamus usually share a table (GoF when Ron wasn't
speaking to Harry). So two to a table/cauldron equals 40 students.
Again, just pointing out that you can't take the frequent use of the
number 20 as reliably defining the class size.

Sorry, strayed a bit; let's get back to the dorms and beds. Percy does
NOT direct them to a DOOR. I points out the girls spiral stairs and
the boy spiral stairs. The boys go up the stairs all the way to the
top floor before they find their dorm room. 

Logically, there are other floors where the other class years stay.
Some of these dorms may be up the stairs and others may be down. And
although no one but Herione has ever gone to the bathroom, and only
Oliver Wood has take a shower in the last 4 years, I think it's safe
to assume that two of the floors in the tower are the boys and girls
bathroom/showers. So if there are other floors each with a dorm, then
there could be another Gryffindor boys dorm for Harry's year. Harry
and Ron went up the spiral staircase until they found THEIR dorm room.
Again the point, is that just because Harry and Ron went to their
dorm, doesn't rule out the possiblity that a couple other boys went to
another dorm room. 

Having said that, I will concede that Harry's class is small even if
we throw in a few more students just for good measure. I can't see it
being larger than 15. All the evidents points to 8 to 12 students
dependng on your interpretation.

I also am a strong supporter of the latest theory that say logically,
(by my interpretation) Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw make up the bulk of
the common student. Slytherin and Gryffindor being very unique, would
be much smaller. Some people are speculating a ratio of 40/40/10/10.
If that's true then those ratios reflect the actuall numbers; 40
Hufflepuff to 10 Gryffindors. This would account for 600 to 700
students which is about what I have always estimated the size to be.

Which brings up the question, why don't we see all these extra
Hufflepuffs in Herbology? I can only speculate, but it's possible the
the Hufflepuffs in Harry's class are the 'overflow'. There is another
Herbology class that is all Hufflepuffs, and the ones that could fit
in the allowable class size, were combine with the small class of
Gryffindors. 

In closing, I will say that this issue has been examined in the most
minute detail by many many people and many many times, and the only
conclusion that I can see is that there is no definitive conclusion
that can be reached.

Mostly speculation, but still something to think about.

bboy_mn