Welcome to our community from the sixth graders of Central Heights Elementary School in Billings, Montana, zip code 59102. We are a school of 372 students in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade living in the west end region of our city of nearly 100,000 people. Our school is located near the retail hub of the city as it sprawls into the agricultural region of Yellowstone County. The sandstone rims of the Yellowstone River Valley define our community geographically.

Most Distinctive Sound (.mp3 file): Freight Train. He rolls over in bed at the sound of the garage door opening and glances at the clock: 4:30 a.m. His wife is off to record the perfect sound, the most distinctive sound of the community of Billings, Montana. He has become accustomed to this bizarre behavior from his partner since she embarked upon the journey of collecting sounds that reflect the culture of this place they call home. This early morning in the light of the waning moon, she has driven the two miles to the railroad track where she hopes to capture the sound of the train whistle unobstructed by the usually busy city traffic. Most days at this time, they are content to hear the whistle from a distance, but this morning she will be close enough to record the hiss of the engine, the clank and squeak of the wheels, the rocking of the cars, and the shriek of the whistle as the Montana Rail Link train ambles along on the tracks.

Since the arrival of the first Northern Pacific Railroad train on August 22, 1882, the long, lonesome whistle of its engine has been heard along the banks of the Yellowstone River. This distinctive sound shaped the culture, bringing businesses of all kinds. The most dominant was livestock. Cattle remain an economic mainstay of the state. Night or day the whistle portends the development of the valley and is such a part of the "soundscape" that most people take it for granted, much as they do the many sounds of this growing urban center in south central Montana.

The Sound of Human/Environment Interaction (.mp3 file): Blacksmiths. Blacksmiths hammering on their anvils have been a familiar sound to Montanans since settlers began arriving by horse and wagon. Not many of these tradesmen have survived the modernization of the West. The sound of the hammer hitting the anvil the day of our recording was that of a smith molding a horseshoe nail into a spoon for a tourist at a local commemorative gathering. As we walked around the grounds of the park, the sound of the smith at his anvil rang through the crowds of people and was a constant reminder of our heritage and dependence upon the horse as a mode of transportation, beast of burden, and friend.

The Sound of Change (.mp3 file): Crow Push Dance. The proud dancer waits in the wings of the makeshift stage for his introduction by the tribal elder. Young people in this culture do not introduce themselves or each other. As a gesture of respect and deference to the "wisdom of age," only the elders of the tribe are permitted to speak publicly. Singers and drummers are introduced. Finally, it is time for the young dancer to perform his native dance in a stunning costume that attracts much attention from the audience of tourists and local residents. Tribal elder Barney Old Coyote explains the significance of the singing, dances, and music.

The dance chosen for our recording was the Push Dance. This particular dance was inspired by early contacts of Crow Indians with the white culture. It is a blending of the cultures and illustrates the changes and adaptations that have taken place over time in this region of our country. The Push Dance resembles the Two-Step danced by early settlers who came to Montana. Dancers face each other in the embrace of the Two-Step and dance the steps and music of traditional Crow song and drums. Members of the audience were asked to join the native dancers, to share in this fun celebration of heritage and culture. We have learned much from each other and the lessons of history are vibrantly alive today.

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