Go Pods!
Posted on 09/11/2002 8:22:17 AM PDT by NYer
Europe's first school for witches and wizards has opened in Austria.
Students can take a six-semester course, including learning to make potions and cast spells, ending in a "sorcerers' diploma."
The school is located in the mountains of Klagenfurt in southern Austria.
"Wizardry is very close to nature and is in no way a form of religion," said school director Andreas Starchel, who also calls himself Dakaneth.
"The school's aim is to pass on witches' and wizards' ancestral knowledge, which is gradually being forgotten," says the school's website.
The school caters for three classes of students. This year up to 15 sorcerers' apprentices will be taught astrology, magic, history of magic, meditation and divination and later put their theoretical studies into practice: preparing potions, making talismans and performing rituals.
Having completed a final examination and a dissertation, the student witches and wizards receive a "veneficus certificate" to mark their qualification.
A spokesman added: "In the past, witches and wizards were people recognised by society, who used their divining powers and learning to mediate between the visible and invisible worlds.
"Etymologically, 'witch' means someone who is on the border between our world and the beyond," he added, saying the aim of the courses was "to restore contact with nature, which has been lost by our society."
That means that Celtic and druidic learning and nature studies play a large part in Starchel's teachings. Stories of the legendary Lord Voldemort and classes in Defence Against the Dark Arts featured in JK Rowling's Harry Potter books do not.
That will be answered in book 5 of Harry Potter.
(I'm not making this up)
Go Pods!
Since the book won't be out until sometime next year, what's your source?
Including advanced dragon-handling.
Meant to be sarcastic. If you find it funny, all the better.
Interesting that you should make that connection. Hillary was responsible for hiring a witch to teach at the Governor's School in Arkansas when Clinton was governor. The Governor's School was a program designed to take the cream of Arkansas's high school students and have them participate in classes to "open their minds". All forms of degradation were taught and allowed among the students. At least one student killed himself as a result of the demented teaching.
All in all, Hillary will probably be the biggest hit as a guest lecturer.
"Sure! I like teaching."
Can't recall the exact source, but it was an interview with the author. Among other things, we'll learn what wizards do for a living and what ghosts are.
I wasn't sure I believed you, although nothing about the Clinton's surprise me. Did an internet search and discovered you were correct about the school, the suicides (at least 4) and the school's goals. The methods it used remind me somewhat of how Hill and Bill used to "toughen up" Chelsea as a child by making her cry. The more I read, the more concerned I am about H & B. They're dangerous and need to be stopped.
It would be a grave mistake to compare this branch of the Unseen University with the bent universe of Harry Potter. Indeed, the Potter books seem already to have tainted you.
The three things to remember about Dragons are:
1. Proper trigger control.
2. Do not let them eat too much Firestone.
3. Never, ever let a Dragon look in a mirror.
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