[HPforGrownups] Re: DD & the Dursleys: Alcohol (was: Better Manners...)

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 158219

On 12 Sep 2006 at 20:56, Steve wrote:

> I recall when the young Hero of the 'Narnia' movie (Lion,
> Witch, Wardrobe), who I think might be William Moseley, 
> was on a late night talk show. I'm not sure if he is from
> England or Australia, nor am I sure whether he went to a
> day school or a boarding school, but his secondary (high) 
> school had a PUB (tavern/bar) on the school grounds that 
> served alcohol to students who were age 16 and older. 
> Most likely it was limited to beer and ale, but none the
> less that is a pretty progressive attitude towards 
> alcohol. And to some extent, I think it reflects the 
> overal attitude of Europe in general. 

I'm not sure it's progressive - rather it's often an old fashioned attitude. A small number of the 
older British Public Schools (and possibly one or two of the younger ones) have such a pub 
connected to the school for historical and traditional reasons - up until the 19th Century, it 
was common for young people to drink beer and ale for a number of reasons, not least of 
which that it was often safer - boarding schools especially worried about cholera in their water 
supply.

I'm not British, but I did attend an Australian school run on very traditional British lines, and I 
can certainly confirm being given alcohol by my Headmaster and other staff members once I 
was sixteen. The idea was to teach us to drink responsibly under supervision - we learned 
how our bodies reacted to alcohol, how much we could drink safely, and we also learned the 
social skills associated with alcohol in our society. We certainly were *not* allowed to get 
anywhere near drunk, and the illicit drinking of alcohol was regarded as very serious 
misbehaviour - but in the presence of, and with the approval of, a responsible adult, it was  
fine.

Dumbledore lets Harry partake of a social drink - that is, in no way, a big deal.

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