FORM CD-26-5M-8-83
                       The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
                 OFFICE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS SECRETARY OF STATE
                       MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY, Secretary
                    ONE ASHBURTON PLACE, BOSTON, MASS. 02108

                                                          FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION
                                                              No. 04-1456030
                 CERTIFICATE OF VOTE OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHING
                          A SERIES OF A CLASS OF STOCK

                     General Laws, Chapter 156B, Section 26

                                  ------------

                    We, Harold T. Miller, President     and
                        Paul D. Weaver, Clerk            of

                            Houghton Mifflin Company
                            ------------------------
                             (Name of Corporation)

           located at One Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108

do hereby certify that at a meeting of the directors of the corporation held on
December 9, 1988, the following vote establishing and designating a series of a
class of stock and determining the relative rights and preferences thereof was
duly adopted:

                     See continuation sheets 2A through 2K.

NOTE: Votes for which the space provided above is not sufficient
      should be set out on continuation sheets to be numbered 2A, 2B,
      etc. Continuation sheets must have a left-hand margin 1 inch
      wide for binding and shall be 8-1/2" x 11". Only one side should
      be used.                      -----------
<PAGE>

     VOTED, that a new series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation is hereby
created, pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors of this
Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated Articles of
Organization, and that the designation and amount of the series of Preferred
Stock and the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional
and other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:

     Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall be 20,000.

     Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.

     (A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares
of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of
funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on
the 15th day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date
being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an
amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a)
$75.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
1000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1000 times
the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or
other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of common stock, par
value $1.00 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") or a subdivision
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise),
declared on the Common Stock, since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred


                                       2A



<PAGE>


Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after December 9, 1988
(the "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable
in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.


     (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $75.00 per share on
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable
on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

     (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior
to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case
dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a
date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend
and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends
paid on the shares of Series A



                                       2B

<PAGE>

Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of
such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated
pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled
to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record
date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment
thereof.

     Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

     (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 1000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of
the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

     (B) Except as otherwise provided herein or as required by law, the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted
to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

     (C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly
dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall mark the beginning
of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend until such
time when all accrued


                                       2C



<PAGE>


and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly dividend periods and for the
current quarterly dividend period on all shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been declared and paid or set apart
for payment. During each default period, all holders of Preferred Stock
(including holders of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock) with
dividends in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly dividends thereon,
voting as a class, irrespective of series, shall have the right to elect two (2)
Directors.

     (ii) During any default period, such voting right of the holders of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at a special
meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section 3(C) or at any
annual meeting of stockholders or special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting,
and thereafter at annual meetings of stockholders or special meetings in lieu of
an annual meeting, provided that neither such voting right nor the right of the
holders of any other series of Preferred Stock, if any, to increase, in certain
cases, the authorized number of Directors shall be exercised unless the holders
of a majority in number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding shall be
present in person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of the holders of Common
Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock of such
voting right. At any meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock shall
exercise such voting right initially during an existing default period, they
shall have the right, voting as a class, to elect Directors to fill such
vacancies, if any, in the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two (2)
Directors or, if such right is exercised at an annual meeting or special meeting
in lieu of an annual meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the number which
may be so elected at any special meeting (other than a special meeting in lieu
of an annual meeting) does not amount to the required number, the holders of the
Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such increase in the number of
Directors as shall be necessary to permit the election by them of the required
number. After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have exercised their
right to elect Directors in any default period and during the continuance of
such period, the number of Directors shall not be increased or decreased except
by vote of the holders of Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the
rights of any equity securities ranking senior to or pari



                                       2D

<PAGE>


passu with the Series A  Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

     (iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an existing
default period, have previously exercised their right to elect Directors, the
Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or stockholders owning in the
aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series, may request, the calling of
a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock, which meeting shall
thereupon be called by the President of the Corporation or the Board of
Directors. Notice of such meeting and of any annual meeting or special meeting
in lieu of an annual meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to
vote pursuant to this paragraph (C) (iii) shall be given to each holder of
record of Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his last
address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such meeting shall
be called for a time not earlier than 20 days and not later than 60 days after
such order or request or in default of the calling of such meeting within 60
days after such order or request, such meeting may be called on similar notice
by any stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten
percent (10%) of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (C)(iii), such holders of the
Preferred Stock shall not have the right to call such a special meeting during
the period within 60 days immediately preceding the date fixed for the next
annual meeting of the stockholders.

     (iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock, and other classes
of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall continue to be entitled to
elect the whole number of Directors until the holders of Preferred Stock shall
have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors voting as a class, after
the exercise of which right (x) the Directors so elected by the holders of
Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their successors shall have been
elected by such holders or until the expiration of the default period, and (y)
any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as provided in paragraph
(C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining
Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class of stock which elected
the Director whose office shall have become

                                       2E

<PAGE>

vacant. References in this paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of
a particular class of stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to
fill vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.

     (v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x) the right of
the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors shall cease, (y)
the term of any Directors elected by the holders of Preferred Stock as a class
shall terminate, and (z) the number of Directors shall be such number as may be
provided for in the Restated Articles of Organization or by-laws as then in
effect irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph
(C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject, however, to change
thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the Restated Articles of
Organization or by-laws as then in effect). Any vacancies in the Board of
Directors effected by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding
sentence may be filled by a majority of the remaining Directors.

     (D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not
be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of
Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

Section 4. Certain Restrictions.

     (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not

          (i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or
     redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
     stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
     dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
     Stock; or


                                       2F

<PAGE>


          (ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on
     any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
     liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
     Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series
     A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
     dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to
     which the holders of all such shares are then entitled; or

          (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares
     of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
     liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
     Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any
     time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock
     in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior
     (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to
     the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock; or

          (iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
     Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
     ranking on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
     except pursuant to Section 8 or in accordance with a purchase offer made in
     writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all
     holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
     consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative
     rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
     determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among
     the respective series or classes.

     (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A)

                                       2G

<PAGE>


of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.

     Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition
thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but
unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series
of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.

     Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation
(voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received
$l,200.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment (the
"Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the full amount of
the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall be made
to the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 1000 (as appropriately
adjusted as set forth in subparagraph C below to reflect such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock)
(such number in clause (ii) immediately above being referred to as the
"Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A
Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock,
respectively, holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and
holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and proportionate
share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment
Number to one (1) with

                                       2H


<PAGE>

respect to such Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per share
basis, respectively.

     (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available
to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if any, which
rank on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then
such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event,
however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in
full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed
ratably to the holders of Common Stock.

     (C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

     Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount
of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the
case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in


                                       2I


<PAGE>


each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

     Section 8. Redemption. The outstanding shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock may be redeemed at the option of the Board of
Directors as a whole, but not in part, at any time, or from time to time, at a
cash price per share equal to l05 percent of (i) the product of the Adjustment
Number times the Average Market Value (as such term is hereinafter defined) of
the Common Stock, plus (ii) all dividends which on the redemption date have
accrued on the shares to be redeemed and have not been paid, or declared and a
sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart, without interest. The "Average
Market Value" is the average of the closing sale prices of the Common Stock
during the 30 day period immediately preceding the date before the redemption
date on the Composite Tape for New York Stock Exchange Listed Stocks, or, if
such stock is not quoted on the Composite Tape, on the New York Stock Exchange,
or, if such stock is not listed on such Exchange, on the principal United States
securities exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, on which such stock is listed, or, if such stock is not listed on any
such exchange, the average of the closing sale prices with respect to a share
of Common Stock during such 30 day period, as quoted on the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System or any system then in
use, or if no such quotations are available, the fair market value of the Common
Stock as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith.

     Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.

     Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Articles of Organization of the
Corporation shall not be further

                                       2J



<PAGE>

amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers,
preferences or special rights of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority or more of the outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.

     Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holders fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive
dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other
rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.


                            2K

<PAGE>


     IN WITNESS WHEREOF AND UNDER THE PENALTIES OF PERJURY, we have hereto
signed our names this


                  Ninth day of December           in the year 1988



                  Harold T. Miller                , President


                  Paul D. Weaver                  , Clerk


<PAGE>


                        THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

                  Certificate of Vote of Directors Establishing
                          A Series of a Class of Stock

                    (General Laws, Chapter 156B, Section 26)

                  I hereby approve the within certificate and,
                   the filing fee in the amount of $________
            having been paid, said certificate is hereby filed this
                                     day of                        ,

            19___.


                                        MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY
                                          Secretary of State

                         TO BE FILLED IN BY CORPORATION
                      PHOTO COPY OF CERTIFICATE TO BE SENT

TO:

                              Louis A. Goodman, Esq.
                      SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM
                               One Beacon Street
                          Boston, Massachusetts 02108
                            Telephone (617) 573-4830

                                                                     Copy Mailed