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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.

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