[HPforGrownups] House Qualities (Was: Re: Slytherin Purebloods?)

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 88232

On 8 Jan 2004 at 1:49, Ali wrote:

> Besides, the kids have already shown that, when they so desire, they are
> able to reach across houses to form a united front against their foes.
> Umbridge & the DA comes to mind.  I think they'll be fine regardless of the
> house system.

I agree - House systems can actually be a very positive thing in 
this regard.

I don't know if there's been any research into it in the UK - I 
suspect there probably has been at some stage - but here in 
Australia, there was quite a bit - mostly on the First World War. 
Back when that war started, Australia had to build a professional 
army very quickly - and it did so quite effectively. To do so, it 
drew a significant proportion of its instant junior officers from a 
particular group of schools - all of which had strong rivalries 
with other schools (that were in that same group) and many of which 
had strong internal rivalries through House systems. I went to one 
of these schools (far later than World War I!) and I've paid 
attention to this type of stuff.

What they hypothesise, based on what happened then, is that the 
strong rivalries that existed within these schools fostered very 
close cooperation among students against their rivals, and that 
became very useful in time of war. This rivalry *could* have been a 
problem - if it had carried on after school, when they needed to 
stand together - but it didn't. They found that when it was 
necessary, these people pulled together with their formal rivals, 
perfectly well against the common foe. They'd learned how to work 
together against their enemies - the House systems had often also 
provided many with more experience of leadership that they might 
have otherwise had.

House systems don't have to be positive - but they very easily be.

The Sorting Hat doesn't totally condemn the House system, IMHO:

"The houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up our school."

It sounds to me like the system might have worked for a time, even 
to the Hat's liking.


Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia