The Chicago Lighting Institute was an educational and marketing association serving the lighting industry in the Midwest. The main aim of the institute was to acquaint architects, interior designers, electrical engineers, urban planners and the general public with the latest developments and applications in lighting. It was the first U.S. institution to promote appropriate use of light in the earlier years of the lighting industry.Gerald Stair, past national president of the Illuminating Engineering Society, Personal letter to Carl W. Zersen, March 25, 1968.
Establishment In 1929—the fiftieth anniversary of Edison's invention of the electric light—leaders of the lighting industry in Chicago determined to found a lighting institute to foster the use of better light in homes, educational and service institutions, and industry. Because the lighting industry was no longer in its infancy, it was felt that the time had come to market the value of using optimum lighting conditions for work, study and leisure."38 Years of Lighting Achievement," Midwest Electrical News March (1968): 6. Subsequently, the institute was established on April 11, 1930. The member companies provided the institute with the financial support needed to operate and maintain the necessary facilities where study and demonstrations could shape the future of a soon-to-be giant industry. The five corporate members of the Chicago Lighting Institute were the Commonwealth Edison Company, the Electric Association, the General Electric Company, Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., and Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The forty-six corporate association members in 1967 included:
Advance Transformer Company Alkco Manufacturing Company American Concrete Corporation American Louver Company Appleton Electric Company Benjamin Products – Thomas Industries Corning Glass Works Crouse-Hinds Lighting, Inc. Curtis-Electro Lighting, Inc. Day-Brite Lighting-Div. Emerson Electric Framburg and Company Garcy Lighting Good Manufacturing Company Edwin F. Guth Company Halo Lighting, Inc Holophane Company, Inc. House-O-Lite Corporation Hub Electric Company Jefferson Electric Company Joslyn Manufacturing and Supply The Kirlin Company Koehler Lighting Lighting Products, Inc Line Material Ind.-Div. McGraw-Ed. Lithonia Lighting Products, Inc. Lumalite Products Luminous Ceilings, Inc. Major Equipment Company, Inc. Markstone Manufacturing Company Mason and Basedow Company Mitchell Lighting-Div. Compco Co. Modern Light and Equipment Co. Morris Kurtzon, Inc. Multi-Electric Manufacturing Co. Pfaff & Kendall Revere Electric Manufacturing Co. Shalda Lighting Products Co. Sinko Manufacturing and Tool Co. Smithcraft Corporation Solar Light Manufacturing Co. Steber Mfg-Div. Pyle-National Co. Steel City Fluorescent Maintenance Co. The Superior Electric Co. Universal Manufacturing Corporation Wheeler Reflector Company Wide Light Company Wonder J.A. Lighting, Division"Chicago Lighting Institute Annual Report (1967): 6; "Chicago Lighting Institute Activities Report" (1966):3.
The five members of the Board of Directors were executives appointed by the member companies. Six committees—executive, development, education, membership, property improvements and publicity—were staffed by associate member companies.
History of locations Over the course of the institute's history, it operated in four different locations, three of which were architecturally significant.
1. 20 N. Wacker Drive, Civic Opera Building (1930–1942). In 1930, the 36th floor of the Civic Opera Building was renovated to realize the objectives of the institute. The building was designed in 1929 by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, and owned by Samuel Insull—a business magnate who also formed the Commonwealth Edison Company. The 45-story "skyscraper" had an art deco style and was formed in the shape of a huge armchair facing the Chicago River. It was also home to the Civic Opera, later the Chicago Lyric Opera. Employing 11,000 square feet, the institute's facilities on the 36th floor provided a theater/auditorium, a factory room, a lounge, a retail store, an outdoor lighting room, a school room, an office, and a six-room apartment used to display residential lighting effects. In 1942 a court order issued by Federal Judge William H. Holly, using condemnation proceedings, vacated the 36th floor for the use of the U.S. Army."38 Years of Lighting Achievement," 5."Light Institute Gets New Home," Chicago Daily News (1942).
2. 72 N. Adams Street (1942–1946). During the remaining years of World War II, the Institute relocated to the first floor of the Commonwealth Edison Building. There it occupied 3,800 square feet devoted to exhibits and demonstrations of war-time lighting plus a limited display of fundamental lighting for use by school groups."38 Years of Lighting Achievement," 8.
3. 37 S. Wabash Avenue (1946–1957). At the close of the war, the institute's Board decided to renovate the entire 12th floor of the Champlain Building—a structure that had been built by Holabird and Roche in 1903."Champlain Building". chicagology.com. In this same building, Illinois Institute of Technology offered its architecture classes supervised by department head, Mies van der Rohe. The institute's facilities offered a workshop, a photometric lab, a lighting clinic, an auditorium, a classroom, a large reception lobby and display along with several private offices and a conference room. The lobby's focus was two large etched panels on which were inscribed the biblical passage, "Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is to behold.""The New Lighting Institute," Chicago Electrical News November (1948): 4, 7. The photometric laboratory, formerly at the Illinois Institute of Technology, was moved to the Chicago Lighting Institute."Lighting Institute Re-Lights," Chicago Electrical News September (1951): 5.
4. 140 S. Dearborn Street, Marquette Building (1957–1968). In 1957, the Institute relocated to another even more famous 1894 building, again designed by Holabird and Roche. The Institute occupied half of the second floor off the dramatic central rotunda with its Tiffany glass mosaics portraying the travels of Pere Marquette. The remodeling of the second floor offered 8,790 square feet for a theater/auditorium, classroom, industrial room, library, general office spaces, conference room, director's office, as well as a lobby and display space. The central lobby faced a large etched-glass mural with the biblical passage, "Let there be light."Successful Chicago Lighting Institute Emphasizes Education and Promotion," Lighting 80 (1964): 40-42, 67-68; "The New Chicago Lighting Institute," Chicago Electrical News January (1958): 7; "The Marquette Building," Brochure. Chicago: Commission on Chicago Landmarks.
Personnel
Administration
Ralph G. Raymond Ralph G. Raymond was the first Managing Director of the institute, beginning in 1930. He resigned in 1938 to become supervisor of sales and promotion for Commonwealth Edison Co.
Carl W. Zersen Since the founding of the institute, Carl W. Zersen was hired to work part-time as a lecturer for the classes conducted by the institute. In 1930, Zersen became the full-time Associate Director, responsible for directing the lectures, publicity and consulting activities of the institute."38 Years of Lighting Achievement," 39. In 1938, Zersen became the Managing Director, and remained at the helm till he retired in 1968."Successful Chicago Lighting Institute Emphasizes Education and Promotion," Lighting August (1964): 42."Zersen Retires From Chicago Lighting Institute Post," Lamp Journal April (1968): 52. During his tenure, the Institute developed a national and even international reputation. In these pioneering years that led from an initial emphasis on the use of better lighting to an era of all-electric buildings, Zersen came to be regarded throughout the industry in the United States as "Mr. Lighting."Carl W. Zersen Awarded Honorary Engineering Degree, Midwest Electrical News August (1968): 17.
Zersen served as a member and chair of various committees of the Chicago Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and as Chairman of the Chicago Section in 1941 and 1942. At the national IES level, he served for three years as Chairman of the National Committee on Lighting Education (1946–48), and Chairman of the Joint Sub-Committee of Lighting Education with the U.S. Public Health Service (1948–49). He chaired the Committee on Lighting Education, which authored the Lighting Fundamentals Course (1947, rev. 1955 and 1961) that was used for twenty years as a textbook at the Institute and in a variety of educational settings throughout the United States.Carl W. Zersen, Lighting Fundamentals Course (New Jersey: Illuminating Engineering Society (1947-1961); "Zersen Retires from Chicago Lighting Institute Post," Lamp Journal April (1968): 32, 52. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Judges for three International Lighting Competitions sponsored by the National Electrical Manufacturer's Association (1947, 1947, and 1952).Carl W. Zersen, "Fluorescent Lighting—The Latest Development," Real Estate: The Weekly for Owners, Realtors, Architects, Builders August 30 (1947): 13-15. He also served as the Chairman of the Judging Committees for Lighting Competitions sponsored by the Electrical Construction and Maintenance Magazine (1953) and by McGraw-Hill Publications (1957).Carl W. Zersen, "Resume and Impressions: Third Interaction Lighting Exposition and Conference, Illuminating Engineering Vol. XLIV No. 6 (1949): 324-349.
Zersen was Chairman of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) Industrial Advisory Committee for Illumination Technology for thirteen years and a member of the MSOE Corporation for eleven years. He gave hundreds of lectures to promote the use of better light at professional conferences and club meetings as well as on radio and television.Zersen, "Fluorescent Lighting," 13-15; "2025 Attend Conference on High Frequency Heating," Chicago Electrical News February (1945); "Consider Problems of Induction Heating: Experts Confer at Chicago," Electrical World January 27 (1945): 7. For "Light's Diamond Jubilee" in 1954, he organized 72 speakers to give talks in 247 settings for a total attendance of 19,938 people, all to promote appreciation for the use of better light.Carl W. Zersen, "Resume" (MSOE archives). In 1959, he was appointed to the United States National Committee of the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, composed of lighting experts from around the world."Appointed to High Project," Elmhurst Press Nov (1959); "International News," Illuminating Engineering Nov (1959). Zersen received the Distinguished Service Certificate from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association in 1952. In 1953 he became a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society, which he had joined in 1928."New Fellows,"Illuminating Engineering 14A (1953). He received an honorary Electrical Engineering degree from the Milwaukee School of Engineering on May 10, 1968."MSOE Will Graduate 96 Friday," The Milwaukee Journal Thursday, May 9 (1968): 6; "Carl Zersen '21 Retires: Receives Honorary Degree," MSOE Alumnus Vol. 2, No. 5 (1968). In 1971, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Illuminating Engineering Society.Carl W. Zersen, Personal Letter from Paul Ringgold, Executive Vice President, Illuminating Engineering Society, June 21, 1971.
Robert Turek Robert Turek was a lighting specialist with the Commonwealth Edison Company. He succeeded Zersen as the Managing Director in 1968 for a very short time as the Institute merged with the Chicago Electric Association later the same year and the emphasis on promoting better lighting gradually disappeared."Electric Association of Chicago - Serving the Chicagoland Electrical Community Since 1926". www.eachicago.org.
Employees