Any wonder why Mississippi ranks so low on the education scale

[revwardoc]

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld...ws/9492145.htm

Thanks for fixing the signs, Miss

OCEAN SPRINGS - One week after complaints were made about an unclear highway sign, state transportation officials have made it easier to understand by adding one punctuation mark.

Recently, members of a veteran's group said they had received complaints about the highway sign advertising the Mississippi Vietnam Memorial in Ocean Springs.

The sign originally read "Miss Vietnam Memorial," causing some to wonder if there's a woman named "Miss Vietnam" and why the city has a memorial for her.

Now, the signs read "Miss. Vietnam Memorial." Officials added the period to signs on Interstate 10, Mississippi 57 and Mississippi 609 to make it clear it's an abbreviation for Mississippi.

"We're just trying to convey the message and get people to the destination efficiently," said Mike Sullivan, an area engineer with the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

But the punctuation mark is just a temporary fix until the signs can be replaced. Sullivan said new signs that would read "Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park" will replace the existing signs within the next few months.

"We did not think that the previous abbreviation would be confusing and we'll spell (Mississippi) out in the future," said Sullivan, who told The Sun Herald for a story on Aug. 5 that periods were only used with cardinal directions on street signs and to abbreviate miles per hour.

"If (the memorial signs) seem to be confusing, then we will entertain changes in the future," Sullivan said initially. "But there are not any complaints for other signs in the state using the same abbreviation."

At least two veterans associations contacted MDOT requesting that the original signs be changed.

The Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee, who oversees the Jackson County park, said they received a few complaints about the old signs. An Alabama veterans group said it was unhappy with the signs as well.

Dusty Teter, executive secretary for the Mississippi group, said the committee was happy to have the old signs but appreciates the new signs that are on the way.

"We were just happy to have signs (advertising the memorial) anyway that we could get them," Teter said. "Miss Vietnam did leave some questions for people and we are hopeful that people are going to understand the signs better (in the future)."

Sullivan said to replace the two signs on Interstate 10 would cost about $440 each. The signs at the interstate off ramps and on Mississippi 57 and Mississippi 609 would cost $220 each because they are smaller.