[MUSIC]
[DIR GROVES] Oh, there it is!
We got an American flag.
Now, there you go.
[MUSIC]
We welcome you to
Plato, Missouri.
Ten years ago, Edgar
Springs had the honor
of being the center
of the 2000 Census.
So now it's our turn.
As one of our students said, "We
were in the middle of nowhere,
but now we are in the
middle of everywhere."
[APPLAUSE]
Go Plato!
We are honored to be here.
There is a spirit
in this village
that it doesn't take
long to pick up.
So what does this
thing called the center
of the population
actually means?
What does this mean?
Well, imagine that we had a flat
plain, that a weightless map,
sort of, and it contains
Alaska and Hawaii.
And then you put people
on top of that surface
and let's pretend, just for fun,
that everybody weighs
the same amount.
You put a pencil under that and
you try to balance that point.
Well, that point is right here,
actually about two miles away
from here, where Robert and
Mary Hartzog has their farm.
I can't think of a better
center of population
of the United States then Plato,
Missouri because you exhibit
all the values we aspire
to so congratulations.
[DRUM ROLL]
[APPLAUSE]
Congratulations, Plato!
[APPLAUSE]
