Press-Republican

Columns

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.
comments powered by Disqus
May 16, 2009

Notes from the past surface in song about Dannemora

By GORDIE LITTLE, Small Talk

I was 10 when "Finian's Rainbow" first opened on Broadway.

I had never heard of Dannemora in 1947.

By now, you're shaking your head and wondering where I'm going with this.

I was always partial to that musical. I loved its many incarnations, including the movie version. One of my favorite songs is "How Are Things in Glocca Morra," and I find myself humming it constantly. But being the silly person I am, I changed the lyrics of the first line after moving to the Plattsburgh area 48 years ago.

Perhaps you've done the same, replacing Glocca Morra with Dannemora. It just seems natural, and I hope Julie Andrews wouldn't hate me for that.

'LITTLE SIBERIA'
I have many friends and family members who have lived and worked in Dannemora over the years. The maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility has defined the community since its first 50 prisoners were forced to walk in chains from Plattsburgh to be incarcerated there in 1845.

I learned the most comprehensive history of the Dannemora prison from my friend, the late Terrance "Terry" Gilroy, with whom I did at least two television documentaries on the subject. Terry was a veritable encyclopedia of information and had a huge collection of prison photographs, news stories and other memorabilia. I would sit at his table, mesmerized by his eloquence on details of what was known as "Little Siberia."

I was especially attracted to the Roman Catholic Church of St. Dismas, the Good Thief and Patron of the Condemned, that was dedicated on the prison grounds in 1941. It was built of Adirondack granite using inmate labor.

A man named T.F. Ryan wrote an interesting little book or pamphlet published by Clinton Press in 1942. I've only seen one copy, which resides in the library of my wife Kaye's brother-in-law Donald Dashnaw, who worked behind the walls as a prison chaplain years ago. The photos in the pamphlet are historic in and of themselves.

Donald recently published recollections of his time at Clinton in his own book. But neither Donald nor the late Terry Gilroy nor anyone else I've spoken to over the decades ever mentioned a song titled "The Hills of Dannemora."

Until recently.

BANISHED SOULS
My recent column about piano benches and the music they held prompted a friendly note from Bill Burleigh of Plattsburgh. He said, "It reminded me of an old music sheet I found in my mother-in-law's trunk."

He said the song was copyrighted in 1946, and he offered to send it to me. I was floored. The song was written by Carroll Loveday, who also penned the lyrics to "That's My Desire," "Whistling in the Dark" and "The Shrine of Saint Cecelia," among others.

Some of the words are, "Evil ways brought many days of punishment. Behind four walls of gray, their hours were blue. Confinement brought refinement in accomplishment. It may sound strange to you, but still, it's true."

The chorus begins, "They fashioned a church out of stone in the hours they spent there alone. These souls who were banished to the hills of Dannemora."

What a treasure! I wonder if anyone else in the area remembers that song. I must enlist the services of my musical friends to play the melody on the piano so we can all sing along.

Maybe I'll call Mitch Miller and we can "follow the bouncing ball," as he used to say while we chimed in with his "gang" in the '50s and '60s. I interviewed him a couple of times back in the day. He'll be 98 on the Fourth of July this year. He's a treasure, too.

Ah, the golden memories. Have a great day and please, drive carefully.

Gordie Little was for many years a well-known radio personality in the North Country and now hosts the "Our Little Corner" television program for Home Town Cable. Anyone with comments for him may send them to the newspaper or e-mail him at gordandk@aol.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Columns
  • ouellette.jpg Internet holds potential dangers for the naive

    A person less savvy could easily give up their bank account numbers to a scam artist "¦ and totally miss out on that sweetheart deal from a gentleman in the Congo, Steve Ouellette writes.

    February 12, 2012 1 Photo

  • stu_denenberg.jpg Technology going to the dogs

    Columnist Stewart Denenberg analyzes the impact technology has had in court cases dealing with the Fourth Amendment.

    February 12, 2012 1 Photo

  • colin_read.jpg Vision2Action deserving of support

    Important community projects require great effort and careful planning to better the future for us all, according to columnist Colin Read.

    February 12, 2012 1 Photo

  • paul_grasso.jpg China low-skill jobs difficult to compete with

    It may be better to focus on middle-skill positions and be sure training is matched to employers' needs, according to columnist Paul Grasso.

    February 12, 2012 1 Photo

  • peter_black.jpg Madonna returns to roots

    "The Super Bowl was the rehearsal for her Quebec show," the mayor of Quebec City joked this week. Regis Labeaume was referring to news that global megastar Madonna was coming to his city to work it out musically on Labor Day on the Plains of Abraham, Canadian columnist Peter Black writes.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • tobias_mug.jpg Yearly trip yields fun family times, enlightenment

    Susan Tobias speaks about her experiences on her yearly cross-coutnry trip to visit relatives with her husband, Toby.

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • ted_santaniello150.jpg Tackling the perfect bench press

    The bench press is one of the most widely used exercises in the gym, yet many are unaware of the important safety considerations that should accompany it, Ted Santaniello writes.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • Terry_Mattingly.jpg Superstar T.D. Jakes makes a confession

    A legendary preacher has taken a big step toward convincing his critics that he is, in fact, an evangelical.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • amy_ivy.jpg Protect your indoor plants from gnats

    The best way to deal with fungus gnats is to try to avoid their build-up in the first place, expert Amy Ivy writes.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • little_mug.jpg 1937 was quite a year

    Gordie Little writes about things that happened the year he was born, including the Hindenburg disaster.

    February 5, 2012 1 Photo

Peter Black: Canadian Dispatch

Lois Clermont, Editor

Cornell Cooperative Extension

Richard Gast: Cornell Ag Extension

Bob Grady

Guest Columns

Peter Hagar: Cornell Ag Connection

Health Advice

Ray Johnson: Climate Science

Gordie Little: Small Talk

Terry Mattingly: On Religion

Steve Ouellette: You Had To Ask

Colin Read: Everybody's Business

Senior Thoughts