Charles Sprague Smith

He then taught comparative literature and modern languages beginning in 1882 and until 1891, when his career as an educator ended due to poor health.

[1] The work of the organization was focused in The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, where Sprague Smith presided over the People's Forum that was influential within the state of New York and had a national reputation.

[3] Faith in unity and brotherhood won the confidence of the people, made possible the establishment of a school of social science where all social faiths could meet and reason together, ordered education on the basis that the life-record of every race is part of the universal human record, founded a forum, organized a church, built up a self-governing, self-supporting club, and in no instance followed precedents.

—Charles Sprague Smith in Working With The People[4]A program developed from the organization provided for more than 100,000 students and workers to attend music and theatre venues at a reduced rate.

He developed programs for immigrant neighborhoods, emphasizing pride in their traditions, sponsoring lectures and pageants, and political awareness.