diff --git a/blocks/html/deeds/addDeedForm.inc b/blocks/html/deeds/addDeedForm.inc
index 44afa04..b725e14 100644
--- a/blocks/html/deeds/addDeedForm.inc
+++ b/blocks/html/deeds/addDeedForm.inc
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 				<td><input name="deed[firstname1]" id="deed-firstname1" /></td>
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="deed-middleInitial1">MI</label></td>
-				<td><input name="deed[middleInitial1]" id="deed-middleInitial1" size="1" maxlength="1" />
+				<td><input name="deed[middleInitial1]" id="deed-middleInitial1" />
 				</td>
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="deed-lastname1">Last</label></td>
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 				<td><input name="deed[firstname2]" id="deed-firstname2" /></td>
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="deed-middleInitial2">MI</label></td>
-				<td><input name="deed[middleInitial2]" id="deed-middleInitial2" size="1" maxlength="1" />
+				<td><input name="deed[middleInitial2]" id="deed-middleInitial2" />
 				</td>
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="deed-lastname2">Last</label></td>
diff --git a/blocks/html/deeds/updateDeedForm.inc b/blocks/html/deeds/updateDeedForm.inc
index 00962b4..6d2c47d 100644
--- a/blocks/html/deeds/updateDeedForm.inc
+++ b/blocks/html/deeds/updateDeedForm.inc
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="deed-middleInitial1">MI</label></td>
 				<td><input name="deed[middleInitial1]" id="deed-middleInitial1"
-							size="1" maxlength="1"
 							value="<?php echo View::escape($this->deed->getMiddleInitial1()); ?>" />
 				</td>
 			</tr>
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="deed-middleInitial2">MI</label></td>
 				<td><input name="deed[middleInitial2]" id="deed-middleInitial2"
-							size="1" maxlength="1"
 							value="<?php echo View::escape($this->deed->getMiddleInitial2()); ?>" />
 				</td>
 			</tr>
diff --git a/blocks/html/interments/addIntermentForm.inc b/blocks/html/interments/addIntermentForm.inc
index 0f09d0d..1612cd0 100644
--- a/blocks/html/interments/addIntermentForm.inc
+++ b/blocks/html/interments/addIntermentForm.inc
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ $return_url = isset($this->return_url) ? $this->return_url : BASE_URL.'/intermen
 				<td><input name="interment[firstname]" id="interment-firstname" /></td>
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="interment-middleInitial">MI</label></td>
-				<td><input name="interment[middleInitial]" id="interment-middleInitial" size="1" maxlength="1" />
+				<td><input name="interment[middleInitial]" id="interment-middleInitial" />
 				</td>
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="interment-lastname">Last</label></td>
diff --git a/blocks/html/interments/updateIntermentForm.inc b/blocks/html/interments/updateIntermentForm.inc
index a3e3c5f..eeb0ef8 100644
--- a/blocks/html/interments/updateIntermentForm.inc
+++ b/blocks/html/interments/updateIntermentForm.inc
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ $return_url = $this->return_url ? $this->return_url : BASE_URL.'/interments';
 			</tr>
 			<tr><td><label for="interment-middleInitial">MI</label></td>
 				<td><input name="interment[middleInitial]" id="interment-middleInitial"
-						size="1" maxlength="1"
 						value="<?php echo View::escape($this->interment->getMiddleInitial()); ?>" />
 				</td>
 			</tr>
diff --git a/classes/Deed.php b/classes/Deed.php
index 09bb0d9..f169ed0 100644
--- a/classes/Deed.php
+++ b/classes/Deed.php
@@ -314,11 +314,11 @@ class Deed
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * @param char $char
+	 * @param string $string
 	 */
-	public function setMiddleInitial1($char)
+	public function setMiddleInitial1($string)
 	{
-		$this->middleInitial1 = $char;
+		$this->middleInitial1 = trim($string);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -338,11 +338,11 @@ class Deed
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * @param char $char
+	 * @param string $string
 	 */
-	public function setMiddleInitial2($char)
+	public function setMiddleInitial2($string)
 	{
-		$this->middleInitial2 = $char;
+		$this->middleInitial2 = trim($string);
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/classes/Interment.php b/classes/Interment.php
index 897a333..fd4e1d2 100644
--- a/classes/Interment.php
+++ b/classes/Interment.php
@@ -380,11 +380,11 @@ class Interment
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * @param char $char
+	 * @param string $string
 	 */
-	public function setMiddleInitial($char)
+	public function setMiddleInitial($string)
 	{
-		$this->middleInitial = $char;
+		$this->middleInitial = trim($string);
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/scripts/mysql.sql b/scripts/mysql.sql
index e39843c..bbf1c8a 100644
--- a/scripts/mysql.sql
+++ b/scripts/mysql.sql
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ create table deeds (
 	lot varchar(5),
 	lastname1 varchar(20),
 	firstname1 varchar(20),
-	middleInitial1 char(1),
+	middleInitial1 varchar(20),
 	lastname2 varchar(20),
 	firstname2 varchar(20),
-	middleInitial2 char(1),
+	middleInitial2 varchar(20),
 	issueDate date,
 	notes text,
 	lot2 char(5),
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ create table interments (
 	deceasedDate date,
 	lastname varchar(20),
 	firstname varchar(20),
-	middleInitial char(1),
+	middleInitial varchar(20),
 	birthPlace varchar(20),
 	lastResidence varchar(20),
 	age int unsigned,