The Institute for Public Service, chartered in October, 1915, by a group of municipal researchers at a convention in Dayton, Ohio, continued the functions of the Bureau of Municipal Research in New York City. The idea of Julius H. Barnes, it was an organization to help schools, colleges, and governments cooperate for improvement. This was carried out along with government field training for public service and foundations. William H. Allen was made director of the Institute in 1915 and remained so until his death in 1963.
William Harvey Allen, the son of John D. and Jo (Corbitt) Allen, was born in Le Roy, Minnesota, February 9, 1874, and died in New York City, February 23, 1963. He attended Carleton College and received his A.B. from the University of Chicago, 1897, his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, 1900, and attended the Harvard New York School of Philanthropy for post-graduate work in 1903. Before becoming director of the Institute for Public Service in 1915, William H. Allen was an instructor in government at the University of Pennsylvania, 1901-1913; did research, surveys, and editorial work in government; and carried on educational work on the local, state, and national levels. He was director of the New York Bureau of Municipal Research, 1907-1914, and director of the Training School for Public Service, 1911-1914. As a political reformer he publicized waste and fraud in government operations, and from 1934-1937 was secretary of the New York City Civil Service Commission. Allen was author or co-author of several books and reports on education and civics. Allen is perhaps best known for his books, Rockefeller: Giant, Dwarf and Symbol, Why Tammanies Revive, and La Guardia's Misguard.
