It is with great dismay and sadness that we announce the closure of the renowned Magic School, which has long been a pillar of excellence in the realm of magic education. Despite its former glory and prominence as an institution of magical knowledge, the school has regrettably fallen into a state of disrepair and scarcity. Once a thriving center of magical education, the Magic School now stands as a mere shadow of its former self. Its once vibrant and bustling halls now lay barren and silent, devoid of the lively conversations and enchanting spells that once filled the air. The shelves that were once adorned with countless spell books and enchanting artifacts now gather dust with gaps left behind by their missing contents. This unfortunate decline in the school's fortunes can be attributed to a multitude of factors.
This unfortunate decline in the school's fortunes can be attributed to a multitude of factors. Over the years, the magic community has witnessed a decline in the number of talented wizards and witches choosing to pursue formal magical education. As a result, the enrollment of students at the Magic School has plummeted, leading to a drastic reduction in funds available for the upkeep of the school and the hiring of qualified professors.
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S ometime during 1996, at the very latest, Latinos surpassed Blacks as the second largest ethno-racial group in New York City. (They long have been the largest census group in the Bronx.) There were no street celebrations in El Barrio or Washington Heights, nor did the mayor hold a press conference from the steps of Gracie Mansion. Indeed, most New Yorkers remain oblivious to this demographic watershed, which was first announced in an academic working paper. footnote 1 Yet it was an epochal event all the same: comparable to the numerical ascendancy of the Irish during the 1870s or the peaking of black migration to New York in the early 1960s. It also mirrors a decisive national trend. Salsa is becoming the predominant ethnic flavour—and rhythm—in other large metropolitan cores. In six of the ten biggest cities—New York, Los Angeles, Houston, San Diego, Phoenix, and
San Antonio, in that order—Latinos now outnumber Blacks; and in Los Angeles, Houston and San Antonio, non-Hispanic whites as well. Within five years, both Dallas and Fort Worth will have Spanish-surname pluralities, while in Chicago—Drake and Cayton’s paradigmatic ‘Black Metropolis’—the surging Latino population, although still only half of the size of the African-American community, now holds the balance of political power in most city elections. Philadelphia’s Latinos may be in distant third place, but they account for a majority of the city’s population influx since 1980. Only Detroit—with the most threadbare private-sector economy of any major central city—clearly bucks the trend. footnote 2 In the broader census of cities of 200,000 inhabitants and over, nearly two-fifths now have larger Latino than Black populations. Although urban centres where Latinos are in the majority, or are the largest minority, are concentrated in the south-western tier of states, Spanish-surname populations have also been growing in hothouse fashion in cities where there is a negligible historical Mexican or Spanish connection, such as Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Washington, dc. Another spectacular example is Las Vegas, the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan area throughout the 1990s. Thirty years ago, the desert glitterdome had hardly any Latino residents, and the casino industry relied upon a segregated Black population for its supply of poorly paid maids and janitors. Today, Latinos outnumber Blacks in both ‘back-of-the-house’ occupations and the general population. Extrapolating from current school-age demographics, Latinos will become the majority in the city of Las Vegas within a decade. footnote 3 This far-reaching ‘Latinization’ of large and medium-sized American central cities is being driven by a formidable demographic engine: a Spanish-surname population that is increasing by one million annually, or five times faster than the general population. footnote 5 While nativist hysteria has focused on supposedly ‘unrestricted’ immigration, the growth of the Latino population (32 million in 2000) is equally the consequence of higher fecundity in the context of larger, more successfully maintained two-parent families, especially amongst those of Mexican origin (two-thirds of all Latinos). Even if all immigration were terminated tomorrow, the dramatically younger Latino population (median age 26) would continue to increase rapidly at the statistical expense of ageing, non-Hispanic whites (median age 37). footnote 6 ‘Jose’, as a result, is now the most popular name for baby boys in both California and Texas, and Southern Californians are more likely to greet each other with ‘Que tal?’ than ‘Hey, dude’. footnote 7 More importantly, Spanish-surname children already account for a bigger share of the national school-age population than African-Americans, and are expected to displace Blacks as the largest minority some time in the year 2000—far ahead of earlier predictions. Indeed, the present demographic momentum will ensure that, by 2025, there will be 16 million more Latinos (59 million) than African-Americans (43 million). From then until the mid-century, according to the Bureau of the Census, Latinos will supply fully two-thirds of us population growth. Shortly after 2050, non-Hispanic whites will become a minority group. These are millennial transformations with truly millennial implications for us politics and culture. footnote 8 Latinos, moreover, have a striking preference for big cities that contrasts with the crabgrass prejudices of an overwhelmingly suburban nation. (Only Asian-Americans are more urbanized.) footnote 9 With the partial exception of Mexicans, who also invigorate small-town life from California—which had 72 Latino-majority cities in 1990 footnote 10 —to Iowa, all major Latino groups are heavily concentrated in the twenty
largest cities, with Los Angeles and New York alone accounting for almost one third of the national Spanish-surname population. Thus, Los Angeles can boast that it is the second largest Mexican, Salvadorean and Guatemalan city in the world, and, over the next generation, as its metropolitan Latino population grows in excess of nine million, will become the third largest Spanish-speaking city in the world after Mexico City and Buenos Aires. footnote 11 New York City, meanwhile, is the true capital of Puerto Rico and the second city of the Dominican Republic. Without this Latino population boom, most big American cities would be dramatically shrinking in the face of accelerated white flight and, since 1990, black out-migration. ‘The Greater Los Angeles and New York City metro areas’, the National Journal notes, ‘each suffered a net loss of more than one million domestic migrants from 1990-95’. Latinos, with help from Asian immigrants, compensated for this exodus to the edge cities. footnote 12 The stubbornly binary discourse of American public culture, however, has yet to register the historical significance of this ethnic transformation of the urban landscape. The living colour of the contemporary big city—dynamically Asian as well as Latino—is still viewed on an old-fashioned black-and-white screen. (This is almost literally true: a recent study found that only one out of every fifty characters on primetime us television is a Latino.) footnote 14 The 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles County, for example, were universally interpreted as Black versus white, or Black versus Korean, despite the fact that a majority of arrested had Spanish surnames and came from immigrant neighbourhoods severely battered by recession. footnote 15 Similarly, when more than 75,000 young Latinos, protesting against anti-immigrant Proposition 187, marched out of their high schools throughout California in 1994—the largest student protest in the state’s history—it was virtually ignored by the media networks, although a comparable uprising by Black or white students would have become a national sensation. footnote 16 Unfortunately, the invisibility of Latinos also extends to ‘high-end’ urban studies. For more than a decade, urban theory has been intensely focused on trying to understand how the new world economy is reshaping the metropolis. Yet most of the literature on ‘globalization’ has paradoxically ignored its most spectacular us expression. This neglect, moreover, is not for want of a richness of data and ideas. Researchers in the fields of Chicano, Puerto Rican and Cuban-American Studies, as well as urban sociologists, anthropologists and immigration specialists, have produced a bumper crop of important findings and conceptual innovations that soi disant urban theory has failed to harvest. footnote 17 Moreover, Latino Studies recently has been capturing broad academic attention with its effective attacks on the Great Wall of us Exceptionalism that has stood for so long between Latin American Studies and ‘American’ Studies. footnote 18 This article explores some of the consequences of putting the new Latino urban populations where they clearly belong: in the centre of debate about the future of the American city.
S ometime during 1996, at the very latest, Latinos surpassed Blacks as the second largest ethno-racial group in New York City. (They long have been the largest census group in the Bronx.) There were no street celebrations in El Barrio or Washington Heights, nor did the mayor hold a press conference from the steps of Gracie Mansion. Indeed, most New Yorkers remain oblivious to this demographic watershed, which was first announced in an academic working paper. footnote 1 Yet it was an epochal event all the same: comparable to the numerical ascendancy of the Irish during the 1870s or the peaking of black migration to New York in the early 1960s. It also mirrors a decisive national trend. Salsa is becoming the predominant ethnic flavour—and rhythm—in other large metropolitan cores. In six of the ten biggest cities—New York, Los Angeles, Houston, San Diego, Phoenix, and
Furthermore, there has been a noticeable shift in focus and interest among young magical individuals. In an era where technology and scientific advancements have taken center stage, magic, unfortunately, has been relegated to a mere novelty or entertainment rather than a respected and valued skill. As a consequence, the demand for magical education has dwindled, further exacerbating the financial woes of the Magic School. Despite the grim state of affairs, the closure of the Magic School does not mean the end of magic itself. It remains an eternal and awe-inspiring force that continues to captivate the hearts and minds of many. As the Magic School fades away into the annals of history, it is our hope that future generations will rekindle the passion for magic and revive the once dormant halls of learning. In conclusion, the closure of the Magic School is undoubtedly a great loss for the magical community. It serves as a stark reminder of the need to nurture and preserve the traditions and knowledge that have been passed down through generations. Let us not forget the invaluable contributions that the Magic School has made to the world of magic, and may its memory inspire future generations to embark on the path of magical education and discovery..
Reviews for "Retracing the Steps: An Exploration of Magic School Nus' Magical Roots"
1. Sarah - 2 stars: I was really looking forward to "Magic School Nus All Dried Up" as I am a fan of magic schools and adventure novels. However, I was disappointed with this book. The plot felt rushed and underdeveloped, and I couldn't connect with the characters. The writing style was also quite simplistic, and I expected more complexity from a fantasy novel. Overall, it fell short of my expectations and didn't deliver the immersive reading experience I was hoping for.
2. John - 1 star: "Magic School Nus All Dried Up" was a complete letdown for me. The story lacked originality and relied heavily on cliches and predictable plot twists. The dialogue was flat and uninspiring, and the world-building was insufficient. I found myself struggling to maintain interest in the narrative, and it felt like a chore to finish the book. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this novel to anyone looking for a captivating and imaginative magic school story.
3. Emily - 2 stars: I had high hopes for "Magic School Nus All Dried Up," but it failed to capture my attention. The pacing was off, with slow, dragging sections followed by rushed and confusing plot points. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to care about their fates. Additionally, the writing style felt disjointed, with awkward transitions and repetitive descriptions. Overall, the book had potential, but it fell short in execution, leaving me unsatisfied as a reader.
4. Daniel - 2 stars: As a fan of fantasy and magic school stories, I was eager to read "Magic School Nus All Dried Up." However, I found it lacking in originality and creativity. The world-building felt superficial, and the magical elements were not well-explored or explained. The main protagonist lacked complexity and development, and the supporting characters were forgettable. Overall, the book felt like a shallow attempt at capitalizing on the popularity of magic school novels, rather than a fresh and engaging story in its own right. Disappointing, to say the least.