The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-02
Organizing The Public Conscl-
ence Of New York
ACHIEVED A HUGE SUCCESS
Such is the Work of the Peoples
Institute Which Has Made Good
Educated by Means OF Low
Priced Drama.

NEW 1Okh, req. u, Two NJ
ganizing the public conscience de
scribes as nearly as may be a unique
campaign OF education OF the masses
carried on by the Peoples Institute
OF New York which in its presen
state of development reaches betweei
a million and half and two millioi
individuals. In its methods the In
stitute is unlike any other organiz
alton in the world II is practically
vast college without the formalltie'
and restrictions OF the usual institu
ton OF learning, and its curriculum
includes whatever will appeal to ant
exert an uplifting influence upon The
so-called common people"
The tangible evidence OF the lnsti
tute's existence and progression are
its central club house facing Stuyves'
ant Square in the heart OF the East
Side, a chain OF smaller clubs in var
ious quarters Of the greater city,
and big audiences gathered tour
nights in each week in historic
Cooper Union where lectures are
given. The late Abram S. Hewitt
secured to the Institute the free use
of Cooper Union, the Faneuil Hall
of New York, when he, with others
Of a little handful OF prominent men,
aided Charles Sprague Smith IN set
ting the movement on foot a decade
ago. Then the Institute was practic-
allv without funds and was regarded
as doubtful though a valuable ex
pertinent. Only few hundred peo-
ple attended its first course OF lee
lures. Professor Smith, who has
directed the work since its inception
was formerly professor of modern
languages at Columbia University
His educational efforts along broader
lines have resulted in yearly atten'
dance upon the Cooper Union lee
ure courses alone OF an estimated
total of $4,000 persons. Last year
the Institute spent about Sl8OOO on
educational opportunities for the
people.
The idea upon which the work was
founded was that OF directing the
social unrest then manifest in New
York to such an extent that far-see'
ing men regarded it as menace
The method determined upon foi
doing this was the instruction o.
those social classes among which th'
unrest was most in evidence. Thu:
from the beginning, the Institute ha'
stod for evolution as opposed to rev
olution in bringing about economi'
and social reforms. The platform
adopted at the start to express tn
purposes and principles Of the under
taking was this: "The People'slnsti
tute, recognizing fraternity as tn
fundamental truth, democracy as tn
highest known forms of human gov
ernment, and national worth, seeks t.
promote, through education and tn
cooperation Of good men of all con
ditions and occupations, the peacetu
evolution of a society based upon tn
recognition of the interdependence o
man with man" This platform ha
been found broad enough to appeal t.
every one who has evolutionary idea
but to exclude those with destructiv
mental tendencies the anarchist
element as such.
One detail Of the Institutes en-
deavor to further social evolutlo
which has been extraordinarily sue
cessful takes the form OF dramati
entertainment at popular prices. IN
dramatic department was inaugur
with the managers seats in all NeN
York theatres, save those which cate
exclusively to the Social whirlers,
may be obta ned by considerabl
more than a million workers at price