Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Contex

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 105610

The following is a 'near-complete draft' of an essay I've 
been working on for some time. Comments are appreciated, 
critcisms are welcome, any additions think should be made 
are of definite interest.

**********

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the  
Context of the British Public Schools
 
               by Shaun Hately 
         (drednort at alphalink.com.au) 
                 July 2004 

               Introduction 

"My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how  
glad I am I came here instead."  
          - Justin Finch-Fletchley  

The purpose of this essay is to examine Hogwarts School of  
Witchcraft and Wizardry, as presented to us in the writings  
of J.K. Rowling, within the context and traditions of the  
British 'Public Schools.' 

It may well be asked what purpose is served by such an  
essay, and this must therefore be the first question  
addressed. 

Briefly, let me first of all outline what is meant by a  
'Public School' in this context, because the term has  
greatly different meanings in different parts of the English  
speaking world, most notably between the United Kingdom and  
the United States. 

In the United Kingdom, the term 'Public School' is applied  
to schools that are independently financed - that is, their  
primary source of funding is private in nature, rather than  
from the government (Sampson, 1962, p.179). These are  
independent schools, largely funded by tuition fees levied  
on the parents of the students who attend the school. To  
people outside Britain, and particularly in the United  
States, the term may seem counterintuitive in many ways, but  
the term has a great deal of history and tradition behind  
it. Explaining these reasons goes beyond the scope of this  
introduction. It is simply necessary that those reading it  
understand the way the term 'Public School' is used. 

It seems obvious to many people who are familiar with both  
the Harry Potter books and the institutional qualities of  
British Public Schools that J.K. Rowling has, to a greater  
or less extent, chosen to use the British Public School  
model in considering how she presents Hogwarts to her  
readership. It must be stated immediately that Hogwarts is  
not a perfect exemplar of the Public School tradition -  
while there is a substantial influence, it cannot be assumed  
that Hogwarts always follows Public School traditions. It is  
a unique school in many ways, but there are enough  
influences from the tradition that an awareness of the  
traditions of such schools may serve to enhance the  
understanding and appreciation of the school for some  
readers. 

The incredible international success of the Harry Potter  
phenomenon means that a significant proportion of the  
readers of these books are unlikely to have any real  
understanding of the influence of Public School traditions  
on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In fact, the  
proportion of readers with a real understanding of such  
schools is probably quite small. The wide appeal of the  
Harry Potter books indicates that this lack of understanding  
is hardly fatal to the enjoyment of the books, but this  
doesn't mean that even a limited understanding could not  
increase people's enjoyment and understanding of the series.  
Hence this essay. 

It is probably useful for me to outline my 'qualifications'  
to write this essay. Why do I feel that I can give people an  
increased insight into Hogwarts as a British Public School? 

Please understand that I do not claim to be an expert on  
such matters. My interest in this area is purely amateur.  
There are many, many people better qualified to write such  
an essay than myself, and I would be quite please to see  
others do so. However while I am not an expert, I am  
probably better informed about such schools than the average  
reader of the Harry Potter novels. I have had a keen  
interest in such schools for nearly twenty years, and had  
the immense good fortune to be educated at a school that was  
founded on the British Public School traditions. This was  
one of a number of Australian schools set up in the late  
19th Century, as copies of the British Public Schools. My  
experience may not have been entirely pure, but it was, at  
least, a fairly reasonably facsimile. And so I do understand  
the traditions and the history far better than most people  
do. 

Also, as a child, I read a significant number of the 'school  
stories' set in such schools that were published in the  
United Kingdom in the late 19th and early to mid 20th  
centuries. This is an absolutely huge literary genre  
consisting of hundreds, if not thousands, of novels that  
draw on the British Public School tradition. While the  
original traditions and practices themselves are of  
interest, and are the topic of this essay, the existence of  
this extremely large body of literature (Auchmuty & Wotton,  
2000) meant that an understanding of such schools (or at  
least various literary interpretations of them) was passed  
on to a far larger group of British (and Empire and  
Commonwealth) children than the relatively small number who  
actually attended such schools. Given J.K. Rowling's own  
educational experiences (Smith, 2001), it seems likely that  
most of her understanding of such traditions came through  
the filters of this body of children's literature. 

Since I first became involved in the Harry Potter fan  
community, I have noticed on numerous occasions that a  
significant number of readers - most often, though not  
always Americans - have a very limited understanding of the  
traditions that Hogwarts seems to be built on. This is  
certainly not surprising - it is very unusual for a book  
based on such traditions to enjoy such widespread success.  
In actual fact, I am often surprised that a book based on  
such traditions has been so successful, even among people  
who have no idea of these traditions. It is perhaps a  
reflection of the strength of other areas of J.K. Rowling's  
writing and influence that the books have been so successful  
despite their somewhat inaccessible setting. 

The level of understanding (or lack thereof) shown varies  
widely. But, on occasion, I have encountered fans who  
believe that concepts like prefects and houses as shown in  
the Harry Potter novels are literary inventions of J.K.  
Rowling, rather than common historical features of the  
British Public Schools (which have, in many cases, filtered  
into other schools as well).  

Because of this, in writing this essay, I have chosen to  
examine several of the concepts and traditions of the  
British Public Schools that are seen in the Harry Potter  
novels, either in a 'pure form' or in one that has been  
shaped by Hogwarts in particular. I hope that some fans will  
find this interesting. It is my hope that reading this essay  
will give those readers unfamiliar with the traditions and  
practices inherent in such schools, a greater understanding  
that will aid them in understanding Hogwarts. 

Before continuing, I would like to make the following  
points. 

No two Public Schools are completely identical. All have  
their own unique traditions and practices. In writing this  
essay, I will be focusing on points of commonality between  
such schools. It should not be assumed however that such  
points apply equally to all schools. This essay is based on  
generalizations. Specifics can differ widely. When  
considering Hogwarts in the context of such schools, this  
also applies there as well. 

It should also be realised that a great deal of the material  
in this essay is historical in nature. While these schools  
often tend to put great influence on maintaining their  
traditions, they have changed over time. Many practices  
described in this essay are historical, and should not be  
assumed to accurately represent such schools in the modern  
day. By the same token, however, the maintenance of  
traditions means that some practices that seem extremely old  
fashioned to our modern eyes may still be going on in some  
schools. 

Historically speaking, most schools were boys' schools.  
Girls' schools were rarer, and coeducation very unusual. For  
this reason, most historical studies have focused on boys  
schools, and in many ways, the traditions Hogwarts draws on  
are those most commonly seen in boys school. Because of the  
historical reality, many statements and quotations in this  
essay may refer to boys, rather than the coeducational  
reality we see at Hogwarts. No implication should read into  
this, beyond that of historical accuracy. 

             Historical Context 

"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a  
thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the  
four greatest witches and wizards of the age." 
         - Professor Binns 

A thousand year history certainly makes Hogwarts a very old  
school, but several of Britain's Public Schools have a  
history of at least similar length. The King's School of  
Canterbury claims, with some justification a foundation date  
of AD597 (Gathorne-Hardy, 1977, p.22). From around the time  
Hogwarts was established, the Wizarding World was gradually  
withdrawing from contact with the Muggle World culminating  
in the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy of 1692  
(Rowling, 2001, p.16). It seems likely therefore that  
Hogwarts had little direct connection to Muggle schools at  
any stage of its development. However we also know that from  
a very early stage in its development, Hogwarts took in some  
students with Muggle parentage (Rowling, 1998, p.114). 

Historically the older public schools all developed  
relatively independently of each other. There was some cross  
pollination of ideas, but it was generally relatively  
informal. Hogwarts is not unique in developing independently  
- in this, it fits neatly into the public school pattern. 

The question that is raised by acknowledging this is why, if  
Hogwarts seems to have develop largely independently of  
other schools, I am making an attempt in this essay to fit  
Hogwarts into the context of public schools. The reason for  
doing so is simple. The influence of the public schools on  
Hogwarts is obvious and self evident. The existence of the  
prefect system and the house system both of which developed  
in the public schools indicates that Hogwarts must have  
either been influenced by these schools or must have  
influenced them. From a literary standpoint, it is  
reasonable to suppose that the reason Hogwarts seems like a  
traditional public school in many ways is because J.K.  
Rowling used the tradition of school stories in literature  
to design her school. But such meta-analysis is somehow  
unsatisfying to many readers. People want literature to  
appear real in the sense that it should be internally  
consistent. We are shown a school of magic with obvious  
influences from our own Muggle world. Some of us naturally  
wish to find explanations for those influences. 

In essence, as Hogwarts is shown as a school with public  
school traditions and a school with a history longer than  
many of the most famous public schools and rivaling the most  
enduring of such schools, it is a reasonable assumption to  
assume that Hogwarts was part of the overall evolutionary  
process of such schools. It was undoubtedly an unusual  
school from the time of its establishment, but it was close  
enough to the evolutionary process to show signs of having  
been influenced by it. The most obvious source for this  
influence is through the presence of children with Muggle  
parentage at the school from its inception. Perhaps if  
Salazar Slytherin had been allowed to have his way, Hogwarts  
would be even more unique than it is (Rowling, 2003, p.185). 

It is now time to move onto discussing particular aspects of  
Hogwarts, and how these aspects have appeared and evolved  
within the public schools. 

                 Prefects 

"Erm - Harry - could I borrow Hedwig so I can tell Mum and  
Dad? They'll be really pleased - I mean prefect is something  
they can understand." 
         - Hermione Granger  

The existence of prefects at Hogwarts is one of the clearest  
signs of its influence from the public schools. Prefects are  
no longer merely a public school phenomena - they have  
spread into many other schools, but they were a creation -  
or perhaps it is better to say they were an evolutionary  
product - of the public schools. 

Like many aspects of these schools, precisely dating the  
origin of prefects and prefect systems is difficult.  
Evidence of the existence of senior boys within the schools  
with formalized special powers - referred to by various  
terms including prefect, praepostor, and monitor - can be  
seen as far back as 1560 at Westminster (Gathorne-Hardy,  
1977, p.61). By 1668 at Winchester, the system was showing  
signs of real formality and tradition (Falkus, 1971, p.59).  
Prefect systems - giving senior pupils powers of discipline  
and control over their fellows - was partly a response to  
the very small numbers of masters (teachers) relative to  
pupil numbers in the schools of those times. Some schools  
had hundreds of pupils and only a handful of masters to  
control them. Placing routine discipline in the hands of  
trustworthy boys relieved the pressure on the masters. It  
was also considered to have the positive side-effect of  
reducing the prevalence of bullying, by giving older boys  
legitimate authority, although some have claimed that, in  
effect in some schools at least, this served to simply  
legitimize bullying. 

By the late 18th and early 19th century, prefect systems,  
whether for good or ill, existed in most of the established  
public schools (Gathorne-Hardy, 1977, p.61). The modern  
system however is often considered to be the invention of  
Thomas Arnold, Headmaster of Rugby from 1828-1842. Indeed,  
Arnold is often credited as the motive force behind the  
entire 'modern' public school system (Hardy, 1911, p.19). To  
an extent, this is unwarranted - Arnold was one of many  
innovators both at that time, and at other points in  
history. His influence was significant but it can be, and  
often is, overstated. He is symbolic of an entire 19th  
century movement of educational reform. He did reform the  
prefect system that existed at Rugby, and that did influence  
systems elsewhere - but the changes he made should be seen  
in the context of a constantly evolving system. 

Hogwarts prefect system is a relatively typical system in  
most regards. It is slightly unusual in that it draws  
prefects from the fifth year onwards - in many public  
schools prefects are drawn only from the eldest pupils, but  
there are exceptions (Bamford, 1967, p. 65-66). Prefects are  
typically selected (sometimes elected) for their powers of  
leadership, or because they are seen as exemplars of the  
qualities valued by the school, or by their own house  
(Lambert, 1968, p.153). They are expected to enforce the  
rules of the school, and are given disciplinary powers  
(Walford, 1986, p50-51) - in the case of Hogwarts, the power  
to take House points from their fellow students.  
Historically in many public schools, prefects had a great  
deal more disciplinary power - as late as 1966, 62% of  
public schools surveyed allowed at least some of their  
prefects to administer corporal punishment (Kalton, 1966).  
We also know that, at Hogwarts (at least according to some  
teachers) it is important that the prefect is good behaviour  
(Rowling, 2003, p.155).  

In simple terms, though, the system seen at Hogwarts - with  
prefects chosen from among the senior students in each  
house, and given both disciplinary power, authority, and  
privileges because of their position is relatively typical.  
As is the existence of the even more exalted office of Head  
Boy and Head Girl. 

               Head Boy and Head Girl 

"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I  
ever knew. Head Boy an' Girl at Hogwarts in their day!" 
         - Rubeus Hagrid  

Historically this office has often been referred to as the  
captain of the school or the school captain. As most public  
schools were single sex establishments, there was no need  
for titles that included a gender distinction, nor was there  
much pressure to have two such offices. In most schools such  
power was vested in one pupil (Lambert, 1968, p. 155). The  
terms Head Boy and Head Girl however are not uncommon at  
coeducational establishments, and are not unheard of in  
single sex schools. 

We have, so far, been given only a limited insight into the  
offices of Head Boy and Head Girl at Hogwarts. We know that  
it does not appear to be necessary for a person to have been  
a prefect to become head boy or head girl, as James Potter  
was Head Boy without having been a prefect (Rowling, 1997,  
p.45; Rowling, 2003, p.155). We know that, along with the  
prefects, they are given responsibility for the safety of  
their fellow pupils (Rowling, 1999, p.72), and that the  
Headmaster has little hesitation in leaving them in charge  
during an emergency (Rowling, 1999, p.122). 

The offices seems to be associated with a considerable level  
of magic power and academic achievement - at least relative  
to the age of the pupils. Of the five students identified in  
the books as having held these offices, two - James Potter  
and Lily Potter nee Evans - are described by Rubeus Hagrid  
as among the best wizards he ever knew (Rowling, 1997,  
p.45); Bill Weasley holds a responsible position as a curse  
breaker at Gringotts (Rowling, 1999, p.12) and is successful  
enough that he can apparently ignore the conventions of  
normal wizarding dress (Rowling, 2000, p.59). Percy Weasley  
moves directly from school into what appears to be a fairly  
senior entry level position at the Ministry of Magic  
(Rowling, 2000, p.53) and, like his eldest brother Bill,  
does unusually well in his exams (Rowling, 1998, p.40). Tom  
Riddle, of course, went onto become Lord Voldemort (Rowling,  
1998, p.231). 

So it seems that at Hogwarts, the qualities wanted most for  
these offices is a reasonable level of power and academic  
achievement, coupled with the fact that they must be someone  
the Headmaster is willing to entrust with the safety of  
their fellow students. 

Historically, it is probably this last factor - that of  
trust - that is most relevant in the public schools  
appointments of their school captains. These students,  
whatever their title, are expected to be trustworthy enough  
to act for the benefit of their fellow students. Their level  
of power and responsibility has often been far more than  
many people would expect to be entrusted to a mere student  
(Lambert, 1968, p.154). 

The influence of the senior pupils - in particular those at  
the level of prefects and Head Boys and Head Girls - is  
often given prominence as one of the most distinct features  
of the British public school. Some have even given it credit  
as one of the defining characteristics of the success of the  
British Empire in the later half of the 19th Century and the  
first half of the twentieth (Wilkinson, 1964). We have some  
indication that similar viewpoints may prevail in the  
Wizarding World from the existence of the book Prefects Who  
Gained Power last seen in the possession of Percy Weasley  
(Rowling, 1998, p.48). 

                  Houses 

"The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you  
are here, your house will be something like your family  
within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your  
house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in  
your house common room." 
         - Professor Minerva McGonagall  

Like the existence of prefects, Hogwart's house system is a  
clear indication of its influence from the British public  
schools. Like prefects, the house system was an evolutionary  
product of the public schools, and like prefects, it is  
something that spread into many other schools from the  
public schools. 

The similarity between the concept seen at Hogwarts and that  
of public schools in general can perhaps best be illustrated  
by comparing the following quote to that of Professor  
McGonagall, given above. 

"To many children in boarding schools the house is the focus  
of their lives, the small primary unit on which their  
immediate loyalties, hatreds, activities, and friendships  
are based." (Lambert, 1968, p.132). 

Houses evolved in public schools primarily to deal with the  
problem of how to deal with large numbers of students. The  
early schools were often small enough that the Headmaster  
himself could be directly responsible for all of his pupils.  
As numbers increased, this became more and more impractical,  
and students began to be split into houses. The name came  
from the fact that to begin with, these were often houses in  
the town nearest the school (Gathorne-Hardy, 1977, p.107)  
but as time went on, it became more and more common for the  
house to be located in the school, or even to become an  
administrative unit without a particular physical presence  
(Walford, 1986, p.116). 

Hogwarts seems to have a fairly classic house system - the  
type that was common at public schools in the 19th century,  
although we have some indications that it may be of far  
greater antiquity (Rowling, 2003, p.184-187). Pupils are  
taught to regard the house as something close to a family,  
they live within their house, and they work within their  
house. Their successes or their failures reflect upon their  
house. Sporting competitions are organized along house  
lines. There are set locations within the school that are  
the provinces of the various houses. 

As is the case at Hogwarts, houses in public schools are  
often (though not always) named after prominent figures of  
history, either national history, or the history of the  
particular school (Gathorne-Hardy, 1977, p.249). 

The personality and beliefs of the Housemaster (or  
Housemistress) have often been very important in setting the  
tone and practices of a particular house (Lambert, 1968,  
p.161). At Hogwarts, while this seems to be the case to some  
extent, the greater influence seems to be the continuing  
influence of the four founders. Each house is unique, with  
unique characteristics that it looks for in its members. 

Within the public schools, this is often not the case. Some  
schools assign membership to houses more or less randomly.  
But in others, the housemaster traditionally has had the  
power of selecting their own students and this has tended to  
give some houses at some schools, particularly unique  
flavours just as is seen at Hogwarts (McConnell, 1967,  
p.186). 

So in this regard - having houses that have such a unique  
flavour with apparently such a long history behind it,  
Hogwarts does differ from the traditional public school  
model. But in general terms, the model does apply. 

             Teachers 

"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands  
you to yield the information you conceal!" 
         - Professor Severus Snape  

By longstanding tradition, teachers in public schools are  
generally referred to as school masters or school  
mistresses, rather than mere teachers (Walford, 1984,  
p.115). While at Hogwarts, the more generic term seems to be  
in common use, the term master still appears to be used  
occasionally as seen in the above quote, and it survives as  
part of the terms Headmaster, Headmistress, and similar  
terms. 

The appointment of teachers at Hogwarts seems to be  
virtually entirely in the hands of the Headmaster - at least  
under normal circumstances in the absence of unusual  
Educational Decrees (Rowling, J.K. 2003, p.275).  
Historically this matches the practice of the public schools  
where appointments were generally largely in the hands of  
the Headmaster of the day (Gathorne-Hardy, 1977, p.190). 

It is worth considering here, how Headmasters tended to make  
their decisions as to the appointment of staff members. Many  
readers might think it is obvious that certain Hogwarts  
teachers have had no formalized training as teachers.  
Historically speaking, this was quite common for public  
school teachers. Public school masters were regarded as  
professionals with knowledge based on a theoretical and  
esoteric knowledge within specific subject areas. Most  
public school teachers had no formalized teaching  
qualifications, instead relying on higher degrees  
(stereotypically a Master of Arts degree from Oxford or  
Cambridge) to prove they understood their subject (Walford,  
1984, p.116). Large numbers of public school masters were  
themselves the product of public schools (Bamford, 1967,  
p.121) - something that seems likely to be the case for  
Hogwarts, if for no other reason, than there does not appear  
to be any other opportunities for people to acquire the  
education they need to become qualified in their specialist  
subjects. 

Specific skills as a teacher, rather than mere knowledge of  
the subject being taught, were regarded as non-essential,  
though valuable if they were present. It was, more or less,  
assumed that pupils would learn if the teacher knew his  
subject. 

                Headmasters 

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has  
ever had." 
         - Dobby  

Historically, the Headmaster was the ruler of the public  
school - often very close to an absolute ruler. Some  
Headmasters were benevolent, some were tyrants. Many were  
both. Many have become legendary figures - Thomas Arnold of  
Rugby has already been mentioned, but others of note  
included Keate of Eton, Busby of Westminster, Butler of  
Shrewsbury, and Wharton of Winchester. 

These were prominent men, often greatly respected - and  
Dumbledore seems to inspire similar respect in the Wizarding  
World. 

The Headmaster of a public school was the fountain of all  
authority and power. The teachers took their power from him,  
and were responsible to him. The prefects derived their  
powers from his appointment. He had the final say on all  
disciplinary matters, and on all the routine day to day  
decisions of the school (Bamford, 1967, p.152) 

Albus Dumbledore, as presented in the Harry Potter books  
seems to fit neatly into the mould of the great benevolent  
public school Headmaster. The one major difference is that,  
unlike many of the historically great Headmasters, he does  
not seem to be a clergyman (Honey, 1977, p.5) - formalized  
religion is not addressed in the Harry Potter books. 

                Governors 

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore, but the governors feel it's  
time for you to step aside." 
         - Lucius Malfoy 

While the Headmaster often had virtually limitless authority  
over the day to day running of their school, most schools  
had a group of trustees or governors with ultimate control  
to appoint, suspend, and remove a Headmaster. In the case of  
most well known schools, these tended to be prominent men -  
peers, bishops, and senior military officers were quite  
common (Bamford, 1967, p.130). 

Lucius Malfoy's presence as a governor of Hogwarts fits  
neatly into this model, as does his description of the  
powers of the governors (Rowling, 1998, p.194). 

                  Uniform 

"Weasley, straighten your hat. Miss Patil, take that  
ridiculous thing out of your hair." 
         - Professor Minerva McGonagall 

In common with most public schools, Hogwarts has a set  
uniform (Rowling, 1997, p.52). The arrival of a list with  
the clothing items required for school is a common  
recollection of public school students (Brooke-Taylor, 1977,  
p.166). Uniforms are a fairly recent development in the life  
of public schools, first appearing during the 19th Century  
(Gathorne-Hardy, 1977, p.113). Early uniforms were fairly  
basic - over time they became ever more standardized.  
Uniforms served multiple purposes. They encouraged  
conformity but they also helped students to feel part of  
their school community. For students away from home in a new  
environment, this could sometimes be very helpful. 

                Punishment 

"I've got the form, Headmistress, I've got the form and I've  
got the whips waiting... oh, let me do it now..." 
         - Argus Filch 

A classic feature of the British public school, especially  
in literature based upon it, is the presence of the  
disciplinary system, and no discussion of the cultural  
contexts and traditions of the British public school can  
ignore this. By tradition, the most prevalent form of  
punishment in the public schools was always corporal  
punishment - the deliberate infliction of pain as a form of  
punishment. 

At Hogwarts, such methods seem to have fallen into disuse.  
The old punishments have fallen into disuse to the  
disappointment of Argus Filch (Rowling, 1997, p.181). It is  
difficult to date when these forms of punishment stopped  
being used, our only possible indication is a reference to  
Mr Weasley still carrying marks on his body (Rowling, 2000,  
p.535) which suggests that this change is relatively modern. 

The existence of milder forms of corporal punishment still  
figure in Harry's thoughts - he is worried he is going to be  
caned by Professor McGonagall after he is caught riding a  
broom when he was told not to (Rowling, 1997, p.112) - even  
if they are not actually in current use at Hogwarts. 

While such punishments may no longer be in use at Hogwarts,  
because they may seem so extreme to many modern eyes - it is  
worth putting these punishments into the context of what was  
actually used in real public schools. Hogwarts is not being  
presented as historically speaking, an unusually savage or  
brutal school. Very severe punishment regimes were quite  
common in historical public schools. Whole books have been  
written on this subject - a few examples should suffice. 

Most famously, Moss of Shrewsbury once reportedly inflicted  
88 strokes of a birch rod on one of his pupils (Bamford,  
1967, p.66). Keate of Eton is known to have flogged 100 boys  
in one sitting (Gathorne-Hardy, 1977, p.41). Severe  
punishment lasted until quite recently in some schools. Boys  
were still being birched at Eton - held down across a block  
and struck across their bare buttocks - at least as late as  
the 1960s (McConnell, 1967, p.61). 

In simple terms, what is described as having happened at  
Hogwarts historically seems no worse than that which  
happened at many other schools. 

In essence, Hogwarts, though both a unique school and a  
unique literary creation, has obvious influences from real  
school traditions, and real traditions in school based  
literature. This essay only scratches the surface, but I  
hope it has been useful to some people in helping them to  
better understand how Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and  
Wizardry does draw on very real traditions, and a very real  
culture. 

                References 

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**********


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