Ralston Heights program reset by historical group

   The Hopewell Valley Historical Society program originally scheduled for Sept. 12 has been rescheduled for Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m.
   Ralston is the magnificent house located at 74 Greenwood Ave. in Hopewell. Built in 1904 by Webster Edgerly, the house and grounds will be the featured topic of the society’s general meeting at the Calvary Baptist Church, 3 E. Broad St., Hopewell.
   Affectionately known to area residents as "The Castle," the property has a unique and distinctive history. The building of The Castle was pivotal in implementing Mr. Edgerly’s philosophy for a healthy lifestyle, promulgated by the organization he founded in 1876, the Ralston Health Club of America.
   As his movement progressed, Mr. Edgerly’s endorsement of Purina Mills led to the merger that formed the Ralston-Purina Company.
   Over the course of 50 years, Mr. Edgerly wrote 80 books detailing his ideas about the Ralstonite dogma on such diverse topics as diet and longevity, elocution, thought transference and magnetic mind control over others.
   His dream of building a utopian community, Ralston Heights, failed, but the story lives on through the research of the program’s presenter, Janet Six.
   Ms. Six has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and classical civilization from New York University and a master’s degree in anthropological archaeology from Columbia University. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, where part of her fieldwork studies include her research on Ralston Heights. Ms. Six is a member of the of the society and resides at "The Castle."
   Admission to the program is free and refreshments will be served. For further information, call 737-2380.