{"value"=>"<p>The Institute regularly engaged the Great Hall of Cooper Union for various events and programs. The Lecture Program of the Institute utilized the Great Hall for regular meetings to raise public consciousness, advocate change, and work towards social progress. Topics covered by the lectures included home rule for NYC, rapid transportation in NYC, the effects of WWI, and democracy. Lists, circular letters, ads, and programs document these lectures.</p> <p>In 1916, the Institute invited Dr. Werner Hegemann, Secretary for the Architectural Development of Greater Berlin and General Secretary of the City Planning Exhibitions of Berlin and Dusseldorf, 1909, to speak throughout the United States as a recognized expert in city planning. The Lecture Bureau correspondence (alphabetically arranged by city) concerns requests from various organizations to the Institute to schedule Dr. Hegemann as a speaker.</p> <p>The Labor Forum (Carl Beck, Managing Director) correspondence with John Collier, Director of the Training School for Community Workers, documents a bitter dispute that broke out between Beck and Collier in December 1917. Beck questioned the sincerity of some statements Collier had made about the Fusion reformers in newspaper interviews.</p> <p>The Cooper Union Sunday Evening Programs were non-denominational programs on the religious and philosophical issues of the day. The topics are documented by circular letters, programs, and printed matter.</p>"}