Sir, - "What can it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?"
The narrowing of the curriculum in Queen's University will soon chase European culture from the university.
Three of the great pillars of the foundations of world culture havedisappeared - Hebrew, Greek and Russian, not to speak of Latin/Italian.Irish culture is also imperilled wit the result that the true meaningof names such as McGimpsey and Gildernew will be lost forever alongwith Newry, Ballymena and Moygashel.
A man, who cannot explain where his soul came from, his name, hisplace, the roots of his family and his languages, his religion and hishistory, is not a being of culture but a cipher in a machine. He loseshis individuality and is an easy victim for takeover bids by selfishsalesmen and "una voce" fascists. "Si monumentum Requiris, circumspice".
The recent and current losses of valuable subjects in Queen's willhelp to destroy the individuality and personality of young people.
I deplore the manner in which many distinguished academics who havegiven years of valuable service to the youth have been sacked. This isnot fair and is unjust to these scholars and their families. Theseprocedures should be reversed.
The loss of "soul" to a once great university will be an irreparableloss because a tradition, once lost, cannot be restored. - Yours, etc.,
Mgr DENIS FAUL,
Omagh,
Co Tyrone.