David Ferry, who died Nov. 5 at 99 (“Award-winning poet of ‘unique verbal music,’ ” Metro, Nov. 10), is a model for the vitally important role of the humanities in higher education. Deemed as unnecessary by some institutions of (supposed) learning, the content of courses such as English literature as taught by such professors as Ferry fosters appreciation for the values of people and ideas as well as enriching our life experience.
Bettina A. Norton
Boston
