By John Pearson
Signs play a great part in the lives of Americans. They tell us which way to go, where we are, what to do, how to act, what to buy, where to shop, and what to eat and drink. Some signs, such as billboards, merely suggest certain actions, whereas others, such as traffic signs, tell us what we should do to remain within the limits of the law.
Humor haunts some signs (though possibly unintentionally so), as the one seen in a Washington, D.C., self-service elevator: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY:
- Do not be alarmed.
- Push alarm button. When the designated button is pushed, a bell rings which would alarm even the calmest of persons.
Doubt is put into our minds by some signs. I have in mind two specific signs which can be seen here in Texarkana. One is located at 5th and Wood on the east side of the post office. On a rectangular traffic sign in the middle of the street, there are, in big black letters, the words “ONE WAY.” Underneath these words is a two-headed arrow with one head pointing left and one pointing right. A slightly intoxicated person might be greatly confused. Even a sober one would have to scratch his head.
The other questionable sign is in front of the bank building where Pine Street and State Line intersect. This sign also states “ONE WAY” in bold black letters. The arrow points north. Dropping our eyes several feet, we can see a car parked immediately below which is pointed south. Somebody is definitely confused.
In our classroom building we have a sign which is obviously incorrect. In neat letters it demands (I think!): QUIET PLEASE STUDENTS WORKING. Certainly there must be no students at work, for clearly no one is quiet. Fifteen minutes before the bell rings ending a class, the clamor in the hall is so great that teachers must shout to be heard. Concentration is a forgotten item.
Some signs can lead to unusual situations, such as those on restroom doors which have been switched by pranksters. This happened recently somewhere, but I forgot just where. The janitor re-switched the signs before too big a mess was made.
This sign I like best appears on a wall in a lecture hall of a small Midwestern university. It hangs over a row of hooks and reads “RESERVED FOR FACULTY MEMBERS ONLY.” Penciled neatly thereby are these words: “MAY ALSO BE USED FOR COATS AND HATS.”