<PAGE>
                               
                    CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION
                               OF
               AMENDED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
                               OF
                    PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

      Allen  L.  Davis,  President, and Mark E. Magee,  Secretary  of
Provident  Bancorp,  Inc.,  an Ohio corporation  with  its  principal
office  located  in  Cincinnati, Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  do  hereby
certify  that  at a meeting of the Board of Directors of said Company
held on March 21, 1996, the following resolution was adopted pursuant
to Sections 1701.70(B)(3) and 1701.72(B) of the Ohio Revised Code:

      RESOLVED,  That the following Amended Articles of Incorporation
be, and hereby are, adopted to consolidate and supersede the existing
Articles of Incorporation, as amended, to eliminate all references to
Series B and C, Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock, no shares  of
which  are  currently  outstanding,  and  to  reduce  the  number  of
authorized shares of Series D Non-Voting convertible Preferred  Stock
to the number of shares thereof currently outstanding:

                      AMENDED AND CONSOLIDATED
                      ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
                                 OF
                       PROVIDENT BANCORP, INC.

      FIRST:  The name of the corporation shall be Provident Bancorp,
Inc.

     SECOND:  The principal office of the corporation in the State of
Ohio is to be located in the County of Hamilton, City of Cincinnati.

      THIRD:  The purposes for which the corporation is formed are to
engage  in any lawful act or activity for which corporations  may  be
formed  under  Sections 1701.01 to 1701.93, inclusive,  of  the  Ohio
Revised Code.

     FOURTH:

      A)     The total number of shares of all classes of stock which
the Corporation shall be authorized to issue shall be:

          (i)   Sixty  Million (60,000,000) shares  of  Common  Stock
          without par value; and

          (ii)  Five Million (5,000,000) shares of non-voting,  $1.00
          par,  Cumulative Preferred Stock comprised of the following
          designated series:

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<PAGE>
          (1) Series D Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock

          Section 1 - Designation of Series and Number of Shares.

                The shares of such series of Preferred Stock shall be
          designated  "Series  D  Non-Voting  Convertible   Preferred
          Stock"  (hereinafter referred to as the "Series D Preferred
          Stock"),  and  the number of shares which shall  constitute
          such  series shall be not more than 70,272 shares,  $1  par
          value,  which  number may be decreased (but not  below  the
          number  thereof then outstanding) from time to time by  the
          Board of Directors.

          Section 2 - Dividends.

                (A)  Dividends shall be paid on outstanding shares of
          Series D Preferred Stock if, as and when dividends are paid
          on  Common Stock of the Corporation at a dividend rate  per
          share  of Series D Preferred Stock equal to the product  of
          (x) the number of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation
          into  which  each  share of Series  D  Preferred  Stock  is
          convertible,  and (y) the dividend paid by the  Corporation
          on  each  share  of its outstanding Common Stock.   "Common
          Stock" shall have the definition set forth in Section  6(J)
          hereof.

                (B)   As used in this Section 2, the word "dividends"
          shall not include dividends payable solely in shares of its
          capital stock (whether shares of Common Stock or of capital
          stock of any other class) of the Corporation (if, but  only
          if,  an  adjustment to the Conversion Price  is  made  with
          respect  to such dividend pursuant to Section 6(A)  hereof)
          but shall include warrants or rights to subscribe for or to
          purchase  any  security of the Corporation  and  any  other
          distribution  made  to holders of the Corporation's  Common
          Stock.

          Section 3 - Liquidation Preference.

                (A)   The Series D Preferred Stock shall be preferred
          over the Common Stock or any other class or series of stock
          ranking  junior  to  the  Series D Preferred  Stock  as  to
          distribution  of assets in the event of any liquidation  or
          dissolution  or winding up of the Corporation and,  in  any
          such  event,  the  holders of the Series D Preferred  Stock
          shall  be  entitled to receive, after payment or  provision
          for  payment  of  the  debts and other liabilities  of  the
          Corporation, out of the assets of the Corporation available
          for  distribution to its shareholders, $100.00  per  share,
          and no more, together with an amount equal to all dividends
          accrued   and   unpaid  thereon  to  the  date   of   final
          distribution,  for  each share of the  Series  D  Preferred
          Stock  held  by them before any distribution of the  assets
          shall  be  made to the holders of the Common Stock  or  any
          other class or series of stock ranking junior to the Series
          D  Preferred Stock as to distribution of assets.  Upon  any
      
                                 -2-
<PAGE>
          liquidation,  dissolution or winding up of the Corporation,
          after payment shall have been made in full on the Series  D
          Preferred Stock as provided in the preceding sentence,  but
          not prior thereto, the Common Stock or any other series  or
          class  of  stock ranking junior to the Series  D  Preferred
          Stock  as to distribution of assets shall, subject  to  the
          respective terms and provisions, if any, applying  thereto,
          be  entitled to receive any and all assets remaining to  be
          paid  or distributed and the Series D Preferred Stock shall
          not be entitled to share therein.

                (B)   If,  upon  any  liquidation or  dissolution  or
          winding  up of the Corporation, the amounts payable  on  or
          with  respect to the Series D Preferred Stock are not  paid
          in  full,  the holders of shares of the Series D  Preferred
          Stock, together with all classes or series of stock ranking
          on  a  parity  with  the  Series D Preferred  Stock  as  to
          distribution  of  assets,  shall  share  ratably   in   any
          distribution of assets according to the respective  amounts
          which  would  be payable in respect of the shares  held  by
          them  upon such distribution if all amounts payable  on  or
          with  respect to the Series D Preferred Stock and any other
          class or series of stock that so ranks on a parity with the
          Series D Preferred Stock were paid in full.

                (C)   Neither  the  merger or  consolidation  of  the
          Corporation with or into another corporation nor the  sale,
          lease or other transfer of all or substantially all of  the
          assets  of  the  Corporation  shall  be  deemed  to  be   a
          liquidation   or   dissolution  or  winding   up   of   the
          Corporation.

                (D)   Written notice of any voluntary or  involuntary
          liquidation,  dissolution or winding up of the  affairs  of
          the  Corporation, stating the payment date  and  the  place
          where  the  distributable  amount  shall  be  payable   and
          containing  a statement of the conversion right  set  forth
          hereinafter, shall be given by mail, not less  than  thirty
          (30)  days prior to the payment date stated herein, to  the
          holders of record of the Series D Preferred Stock at  their
          respective addresses as the same shall then appear  on  the
          books of the Corporation.

          Section 4 - Automatic Conversion Upon Certain Transfers.

          Any shares of Series D Preferred Stock that are transferred
          to any person, other than Great American Insurance Company,
          Great  American  Life Insurance Company  or  any  of  their
          respective affiliates ("Original Holders"), shall upon such
          transfer  be automatically converted into Common  Stock  at
          the  Conversion  Price  in  effect  on  the  date  of  such
          transfer.   For purposes of this provision, an  "affiliate"
          of  any person is another person controlling, controlled by
          or under common control with such person.

                                 -3-
<PAGE>
          Section 5 - No Redemption.

          The Corporation shall have no right to redeem any shares of
          Series D Preferred Stock at any time.

          Section 6 - Conversion.

          Shares of Series D Preferred Stock may be converted at  any
          time  and  from  time to time at the option of  the  holder
          thereof into fully paid and nonassessable shares of  Common
          Stock  of  the  Corporation at the rate of 6.25  shares  of
          Common  Stock as constituted on December 21, 1995 for  each
          share   of   Series  D  Preferred  Stock  surrendered   for
          conversion.   The  conversion rate expressed  may  also  be
          expressed  as a conversion price of $16.00 (the "Conversion
          Price")  based  on  a liquidation value of  each  share  of
          Series D Preferred Stock of $100.00.

                 (A)   The  Conversion  Price  shall  be  subject  to
          adjustment from time to time in case the Corporation  shall
          (a)  pay a dividend, or make a distribution, to all holders
          of its Common Stock in shares of its capital stock (whether
          shares  of  Common Stock or of capital stock of  any  other
          class) (b) subdivide its outstanding shares of Common Stock
          into   a   greater  number  of  shares,  (c)  combine   its
          outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of
          shares,  or (d) issue by reclassification of its shares  of
          Common  Stock any securities, in which case the  Conversion
          Price  and terms of conversion in effect immediately  prior
          to  such action shall be adjusted so that the holder of any
          share  of  Series D Preferred Stock thereafter  surrendered
          for  conversion shall be entitled to receive the  kind  and
          number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the
          Corporation  which  such holder would have  owned  or  been
          entitled  to receive immediately following such action  had
          such  share  of  Series  D Preferred Stock  been  converted
          immediately prior thereto.  An adjustment made pursuant  to
          this  Section 6(A) shall become effective immediately after
          the  record  date in the case of a dividend or distribution
          and  shall become effective immediately after the effective
          date   in  the  case  of  a  subdivision,  combination   or
          reclassification.

                     All  calculations under this Section 6 shall  be
          rounded to the nearest cent or to the nearest one hundredth
          of a share, as the case may be.

                     Whenever  the  Conversion Price is  adjusted  as
          herein  provided, the Corporation shall mail a  copy  of  a
          statement  setting  forth  the  adjusted  Conversion  Price
          determined as provided herein and setting forth the  method
          of  calculation and the facts requiring such adjustment and
          upon which such calculation is based to each person who  is
          a  registered  holder of Series D Preferred Stock  at  such
          person's  last address as the same appears on the books  of
          the  Corporation.  Each adjustment shall remain  in  effect
          until a subsequent adjustment is required hereunder.

                                 -4-
<PAGE>
                (B)   If,  at  any  time while  shares  of  Series  D
          Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall  (i)
          declare  a  dividend  (or any other  distribution)  on  its
          Common Stock, other than in cash out of current or retained
          earnings,  or (ii) reclassify its Common Stock (other  than
          through  a subdivision or combination thereof) or become  a
          party to any consolidation or merger for which approval  of
          the  holders of its stock is required, or sell or  transfer
          all  or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation,
          then the Corporation shall cause to be mailed to registered
          holders  of  Series  D  Preferred  Stock,  at  their   last
          addresses  as  they  shall  appear  on  the  books  of  the
          Corporation  at  least twenty days prior to the  applicable
          record date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the
          date  on  which a record is to be taken for the purpose  of
          such dividend or distribution, or if a record is not to  be
          taken,  the  date  as of which holders of Common  Stock  of
          record to be entitled to such dividend or distribution  are
          to  be  determined,  or  (y) the date  on  which  any  such
          reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale  or  transfer
          is  expected to become effective, and the date as of  which
          it is expected that holders of record of Common Stock shall
          be  entitled to exchange their Common Stock for  securities
          or   other   property,  if  any,  deliverable   upon   such
          reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale or  transfer.
          Failure  to  give  or receive the notice required  by  this
          Section  6(B)  or any defect therein shall not  affect  the
          legality  or  validity of any such dividend,  distribution,
          reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer  or
          other action.

                (C)   In  case  of a merger or consolidation  of  the
          Corporation with or into another corporation, or  the  sale
          of   the   Corporation's  property   or   assets   as,   or
          substantially  as, an entirety, to another corporation,  or
          the  reclassification  of  the  Common  Stock  (other  than
          through a subdivision or combination thereof, or change  in
          par  value), holders of shares of Series D Preferred  Stock
          shall  thereafter have the right to convert  each  of  such
          shares  into  the kind and amount of shares  of  stock  and
          other  securities and property receivable upon such merger,
          consolidation, sale or reclassification by a holder of  the
          number  of  shares  of  Common  stock  (whether  whole   or
          fractional)  into which such shares of Series  D  Preferred
          Stock might have been converted immediately prior to such a
          merger, consolidation, sale or reclassification, and  shall
          have no other conversion rights under these provisions; and
          effective  provision shall be made in the  charter  of  the
          resulting  or surviving corporation or otherwise,  so  that
          the  provisions  set  forth herein for  the  protection  of
          conversion  rights  of  Series  D  Preferred  Stock   shall
          thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably  may  be,
          to  any  other  shares  of stock and other  securities  and
          property  deliverable upon conversion of Series D Preferred
          Stock  remaining outstanding or other convertible preferred
          stock  received  in place thereof.  Any such  resulting  or

                                 -5-
<PAGE>
          surviving corporation shall expressly assume the obligation
          to deliver, upon the exercise of the conversion right, such
          shares,  securities  or property as  holders  of  Series  D
          Preferred Stock remaining outstanding, or other convertible
          preferred stock received by such holders in place  thereof,
          shall  be  entitled to receive pursuant to  the  provisions
          hereof,  and to make provision for protection of conversion
          rights as above provided.

                (D)   The  holder of any shares of Series D Preferred
          Stock  may exercise its option to convert such shares  into
          shares  of  Common  Stock  only by  surrendering  for  such
          purpose  to  the  Corporation at its principal  office  the
          certificates  representing  the  shares  to  be  converted,
          accompanied  by written notice that such holder  elects  to
          convert  such  shares in accordance with the provisions  of
          this  Section 6.  Said notice shall also state the name  or
          names   (with  addresses)  in  which  the  certificate   or
          certificates  for  shares of Common Stock  which  shall  be
          issuable  on conversion are to be issued.  Each certificate
          or  certificates surrendered for conversion  shall,  unless
          the  shares issuable on conversion are to be issued in  the
          same name as that in which such certificate or certificates
          are  registered, be accompanied by instruments of transfer,
          in  form  reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation,  duly
          executed  by  the  holder or its duly authorized  attorney.
          Each  conversion shall be deemed to have been  effected  on
          the  date  on which such certificate or certificates  shall
          have  been  surrendered  and such notice  received  by  the
          Corporation as aforesaid, and the person or person in whose
          name or names any certificate or certificates for shares of
          Common  Stock shall be issuable upon such conversion  shall
          be deemed to have become on said date the holder or holders
          of record of the shares represented thereby notwithstanding
          that  the  transfer books of the Corporation  may  then  be
          closed  or  that certificates representing such  shares  of
          Common  Stock shall not then be actually delivered to  such
          person.   As  promptly  as  practicable  on  or  after  the
          conversion date, the Corporation shall issue and deliver to
          the  person  or  persons entitled to  receive  the  same  a
          certificate or certificates representing the number of full
          shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion.

                (E)   In connection with the conversion of shares  of
          Series  D  Preferred Stock into Common Stock, no fractional
          shares of Series D Preferred Stock or of Common Stock shall
          be  issued, but the Corporation shall pay a cash adjustment
          in  respect of such fractional interest, calculated on  the
          market price of the Common Stock on the date of conversion.

                (F)   Upon  any  conversion of  shares  of  Series  D
          Preferred Stock, no allowance, adjustment or payment  shall
          be  made with respect to accrued but unpaid dividends  upon
          such  Series D Preferred Stock or with respect to dividends
          on the Common Stock to be issued upon conversion.

                                 -6-
<PAGE>
               (G)  The issuance of stock certificates on conversions
          of shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be made without
          charge to converting shareholders for any tax in respect of
          the  issuance thereof.  The Corporation shall not, however,
          be  required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect
          of  any registration of transfer involved in the issue  and
          delivery of stock in any name other than that of the holder
          of  the  shares of Series D Preferred Stock converted,  and
          the  Corporation  shall  not be required  to  so  issue  or
          deliver  any stock certificate unless and until the  person
          or  persons  requesting the registration of transfer  shall
          have  paid  to the Corporation the amount of  such  tax  or
          shall   have  established  to  the  satisfaction   of   the
          Corporation that such tax has been paid.

                (H)   The Corporation shall at all times reserve  and
          keep  available out of its authorized Common Stock the full
          number  of  shares  of  Common Stock deliverable  upon  the
          conversion of all outstanding shares of Series D  Preferred
          Stock.

                (I)  Any shares of Series D Preferred Stock converted
          shall  be retired and shall assume the status of authorized
          and  unissued Preferred Stock, undesignated as  to  series,
          subject  to  reissuance  by the Corporation  as  shares  of
          Preferred Stock of one or more series, as may be determined
          from  time  to  time  by the Board of Directors,  but  such
          shares shall not be reissued as Series D Preferred Stock.

               (J)  For purposes of this Section 6:

                          (i)   "Common  Stock" shall  mean  (a)  the
          Corporation's Common Stock, without par value, or  (b)  any
          other  class of stock resulting from successive changes  or
          reclassifications of such Common Stock consisting solely of
          changes in par value, or from par value to no par value, or
          from no par value to par value; provided, however, that  in
          the  event  that at any time as a result of  an  adjustment
          made  pursuant  to Section 6(A) above, the  holder  of  any
          share  of  Series D Preferred Stock thereafter  surrendered
          for  conversion would become entitled to receive any  stock
          of  the  Corporation other than shares of its Common Stock,
          thereafter  the conversion rate and price with  respect  to
          such  other  shares  so receivable upon conversion  of  any
          share  of  Series  D Preferred Stock shall  be  subject  to
          adjustment  from time to time in a manner and on  terms  as
          nearly  equivalent  as practicable to the  provisions  with
          respect to Common Stock contained in this Section 6.

          Section 7 - Voting Rights.

               (A)  The holders of the Series D Preferred Stock shall
          not  be entitled to vote except as provided in this Section
          7 and as otherwise provided by law.

                                 -7-
<PAGE>
               (B)  So long as any shares of Series D Preferred Stock
          are  outstanding, the Corporation shall not, in any manner,
          whether  by  amendment to its Articles of Incorporation  or
          Code  of  Regulations,  by  merger  (whether  or  not   the
          Corporation  is the surviving corporation in such  merger),
          by consolidation, or otherwise, without the written consent
          of  the  affirmative  vote  at a meeting  called  for  that
          purpose of the holders of at least two-thirds of the  votes
          of the shares of Series D Preferred Stock then outstanding,
          voting  separately as a class, (i) amend, alter  or  repeal
          any  of  the  provisions of any resolution  or  resolutions
          establishing the Series D Preferred Stock so as  to  affect
          adversely the powers, preferences or special rights of such
          Series D Preferred Stock or (ii) authorize the issuance of,
          or  authorize any obligation or security convertible  into,
          exchangeable for or evidencing the right to purchase shares
          of,  any additional class or series of stock ranking  prior
          to the Series D Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends
          or the preferential distribution of assets.

                (C)   Nothing  in this Section 7 shall be  deemed  to
          require  any  vote or consent of the holders of  shares  of
          Series   D   Preferred   Stock  in  connection   with   the
          authorization or issuance of any series of Preferred  Stock
          ranking  on  a  parity  with or  junior  to  the  Series  D
          Preferred  Stock  as  to dividends and/or  distribution  of
          assets.
          Section 8 - Restrictions on Transfer.

          The  Original Holders of the Series D Preferred Stock shall
          be  entitled to transfer ownership of their shares only  as
          follows:

               (A)  in a widely dispersed public offering;

                (B)   in sales pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities
          Act of 1933 or rules of similar import;

                (C)  in sales pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities
          Act  of  1933,  or in any other private sale  in  which  no
          single purchaser acquires more than 2% of the voting shares
          of the Corporation; or

                (D)   to  the Corporation, to a third party that  has
          acquired a majority of the shares of the Corporation or  to
          any other Original Holder.

          Section 9 - Reports.

          So long as any shares of the Series D Preferred Stock shall
          be  outstanding,  the  Corporation shall  provide  to  each
          holder  of  such  shares a copy of  the  annual  report  to
          shareholders  distributed pursuant to  Rule  14a-3  of  the
          Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

                                 -8-
<PAGE>
      B)    The Board of Directors of the corporation shall have  the
right to  adopt amendments to the Articles in respect of any unissued
or  treasury  shares of any class and thereby to fix or change:   the
division  of  such  shares  into  series  and  the  description   and
authorized  number of shares of each series; the dividend  rate;  the
dates  of  payment  of dividends and the dates from  which  they  are
cumulative;  liquidation price; redemption rights and price;  sinking
fund  requirements;  conversion  rights;  and  restrictions  on   the
issuance of shares of any class or series;

      C)    No holder of shares of any class of the corporation shall
be  entitled  as  such, as a matter of right,  to  subscribe  for  or
purchase  shares  of any class, now or hereafter  authorized,  or  to
purchase or subscribe for securities convertible into or exchangeable
for  shares  of  the  corporation or to which shall  be  attached  or
appertain  any  warrants or rights entitling the  holder  thereof  to
subscribe  for or purchase shares, except such rights of subscription
or purchase, if any, at such price or prices, and upon such terms and
conditions as the Board of Directors in its discretion from  time  to
time may determine.

      FIFTH:   The  minimum amount of stated capital with  which  the
corporation  will  commence business shall be  One  Thousand  Dollars
($1,000.00).

     SIXTH:  The corporation shall have the right to purchase or sell
any  class  of  shares of the corporation, or to  acquire,  hold  and
dispose of shares of its own capital and rights thereto from time  to
time,  to such extent and in such manner and upon such terms  as  its
Board of Directors shall determine, or in any other manner authorized
by  law; provided, no such purchase would cause any impairment of its
capital.

      SEVENTH:   That  the  provisions of Ohio Revised  Code  Section
1701.831  relating  to  control  share  acquisitions  shall  not   be
applicable to the corporation.

      RESOLVED  FURTHER,  That the President  and  Secretary  of  the
Corporation be, and they hereby are, authorized and directed to cause
to be prepared, to execute, and to cause to be filed in the Office of
the  Secretary of State of the State of Ohio a Certificate of Amended
Articles of Incorporation containing a copy of this resolution and  a
statement of the manner of adoption thereof by the Board of Directors
of the Corporation.

                                          PROVIDENT   BANCORP,   INC.
								  By: /s/ Allen L. Davis
									Allen L. Davis, President


								  and: /s/ Mark E. Magee
                                              Mark E. Magee, Secretary