Shepherd University - Cohongoroota Yearbook (Shepherdstown, WV)

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It Looks Like eaven In West irginia Copy fr. Patti C7-nt Deszgn by Mari. Lou Lvfteroio F! ? v Krsnofs' homeland of Yrindaban home- land is in India. the people can fullv depend on natures beautv and cows. and this New Yrindaban rl'lf'JLllCl be such an ideal village where the resi- dents will have simple living and high thinking. New Yrindabanis ultimate goal is selfsufficiencjr. though todajfs econorn- ics make it more practical for the resi- dents to buv what thev need rather than produce independently. Still. thev maintain a herd of 200 cows for milk only since thev are all vegetarians and grow enough vegetables to be able to sell their surplus at the local market. While the hulk of the communitvs monetary funding comes from outside sources. the inhabitants are in a posi- tion to be self sufficient ifthe economv should falter. A big plus to the communitvs mat- erial and spiritual well-being has been the construction of Srila Prabhupada? palace. lt has become the showcase for the Krsna conscious movement and a major tourist attraction. The palace was built for Srila Prabhupada. the man who was directly responsible for bringing h,7'N'7lfl consciousness to the Western World. vet who lived the humblest of lives. One of Prabhupada! devotees and a chosen disciple. Swami Bhaktipada conceived of the idea for building the palace. He explained. L'n- fortunateljf. during Prabhupada! life he never has become very prominent through the Hare Krsna movement. Of course. he planned it that wav. he was such a humble devotee. But as his dis- ciples. we should understand that for the benefit of all humanitv. Prabhupada should be as prominent as Jesus Christ. Bhaktipada believed that the palace would add a force to Prabhupadas spoken word and cause all who gazed upon its beautv to re- member Prabhupada better. The palace is an opulent structure built with gold. silver. marble. onyx. stained glass and teakxvood. The furni- ture. pillars and arches are all intri- catelv carved. There are ornate chan- deliers. and manv ofthe walls and ceii- inas are hand-painted depictions ol Krsoo in its manjv forms. The palace la a true rlLlClf-' of contrasts. It if as opu- lent and intricate in form. as the de- votees who built it are simple in their lifestvles. When asked whv these devoted Krszio followers CTIUNGJ to build sL1c'l i a magnificent building iiisteatl of using the monej: in a more charitable such a.s feeding the poor or building a hospital. Swami Bhaktipada clarified. While the palace cost Ur Siliwifili and took us six vears to build. it only cost each devotee in this communitjv Sl a week to build this palace. There are bfi manv people who spend S111 a week klllrl for cigarettes. Why don't they quit smoking and feed the poor? No one would criticize us if we spent the monej: on beer and cigarettes. But ifwe take S111 a week and spend it to create a beautiful temple for a pure devotee of the Lord-and then invite everyone to come and .see for free -then they fUl!if'- times criticize. This is called envj.'.'i Regardless ofanj: criticism that maj. arise. the palace stands matiesticalljr. as a monument to what great love and in- spiration can do. lt is a spectacle like no other. certainly none of its like can be found elsewhere in America. These devoted followers ofK11sno are sincere in their work. Thev believe in Heaven on Earthuz in fact. thev prettv rnuch li'.'e it. Thev have transcended the mundane desires. such as fame. rnonej: and glory. and seek higher :oals in life. Thev strive to perfect their psvche in order to become closer to their bod consciousness. Their -illi- stance in love and devotion. One of the devoted inhabitants ot New Yrindaban. Aravinda llasa com- ments on how West Virginia was cho- sen as the rnovements site for a Heaven on lfarthng We did not choose West Virginia. it is Kl'.s'I2fllN plan that we are here. One cant help but think that there must be something right about this l.ord Krsna. After all. of all the places in the world to choose. he chose West Virginia. Almost heaven. indeedf 9

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LICE OF LIFE Copy by SCIIIIIIN Snzzitlz Design and Illustration by Tim Brown History of Shepherdstown shape the land. Beginning in the early 1700s the un- manned land between the Shenandoah and the Cohongoroota fthe bend in the Potomac River at Shepherdstownl was acquired as acreage by powerful men such as VanMetre, Shepherd, Morgan and Swearingen. By 1760 the area population was nearing 300 and on Dec. 23, 1762 the town of McKlenburg was established by an act of the Vir- ginia Assembly. It was a time of lot sales in the in- fant town. For 40 shillings, and there- after a yearly ground rent of 5 shil- lings, one could purchase a town lot with the promise to construct within two years a dwelling at least 20, x 16' with a stone or brick chimney. After overcoming severe rat infestation the previous year, in 1776 the town opened an academy of classical learning, the Presbyterian, Lutheran and Reformed churches had taken root and the youth- ful town was abandoning its wobbly first steps and venturing healthy strides toward expansion. One of the town's oldest newspapers, The Register began weekly circulation on Dec. 4, 1849 at a cost of S2 a year. The following are selected excerpts gleaned from The Register and offered s always, man began to as glimpses of Shepherdstown's past -- the people and the happenings which carried the town steadily into the pres- ent. Dec. 4, 1849 fThe establishment of The Registerl First and foremost, its a Shepherdstown paper, advocate, organ and the expo- mL , A I E