▁and ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁when ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁educ ator ▁ended ▁due ▁to ▁poor ▁health . ▁ ▁People ' s ▁Institute ▁ ▁He ▁founded ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁man aging ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Institute ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁The ▁work ▁of ▁the ▁organization ▁was ▁focused ▁in ▁The ▁Cooper ▁Union ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Science ▁and ▁Art , ▁where ▁Sp rag ue ▁Smith ▁pres ided ▁over ▁the ▁People ’ s ▁Forum ▁that ▁was ▁influ ential ▁within ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁national ▁reputation . ▁The ▁Institute ' s ▁work ▁included ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁social ▁and ▁civ ic ▁clubs , ▁a ▁b ureau ▁of ▁civ ic ▁and ▁legisl ative ▁information , ▁and ▁public ity ▁of ▁civ ic ▁topics ▁in ▁the ▁media . ▁ ▁A ▁program ▁developed ▁from ▁the ▁organization ▁provided ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁students ▁and ▁workers ▁to ▁attend ▁music ▁and ▁theatre ▁ven ues ▁at ▁a ▁reduced ▁rate . ▁The ▁inst itute ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁and ▁admin ister ed ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁C ensor ship ▁of ▁Mot ion ▁Pictures . ▁He ▁was ▁man aging ▁director ▁until ▁his ▁death . ▁ ▁The ▁People ' s ▁Institute ▁fl our ished ▁after ▁his ▁death . ▁For ▁instance , ▁John ▁Col lier ▁worked ▁as ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Institute ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁ ▁He ▁developed ▁programs ▁for ▁imm igr ant ▁neighborhood s , ▁emphas