Exhibit 10(i)
                        AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         This Amendment dated June 5, 1998 (the "Amendment") modifies the
Employment  Agreement dated November 4, 1997 (the  "Employment  Agreement")
between  The Stride  Rite  Corporation  (the  "Company")  and Robert C. Siegel
("Executive").

WHEREAS,  Executive  has advised the Company  that  Executive  will  voluntarily
retire as an officer of the Company effective December 31, 1998; and

WHEREAS,  in order to insure a smooth transition,  the Board of Directors of the
Company will seek to name  Executive's  successor prior to the effective date of
Executive's retirement;

NOW THEREFORE,  in consideration of the promises  contained herein and for other
good  and  valuable   consideration,   the   sufficiency   of  which  is  hereby
acknowledged, Executive and the Company agree as follows:

         1.       Amendment Controls.

         Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary  contained in the  Employment
Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Amendment shall control.

         2.       Retirement.

         Executive will retire and Executive's  employment with the Company will
terminate effective December 31, 1998 (the "Retirement Date"). Executive resigns
as of the Retirement Date (or such earlier date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may request as provided  below) as Chairman of the Board,  President and
Chief  Executive  Officer of the  Company  and from any and all offices or other
positions  Executive  may  hold  with  the  Company  or any of  its  related  or
affiliated  entities.  Executive  agrees to  execute,  from  time to time,  such
documents requested by the Company evidencing such resignation(s).

         3.       Interim Period

         For  purposes  of this  Amendment,  the period of June 5, 1998  through
December 31, 1998 is referred to herein as the "Interim Period".

                  a. Search Committee. The Board of Directors has designated the
members of the Compensation Committee as the Committee responsible to search for
Executive's  successor.  Executive  shall  serve as an "ad hoc"  member  of such
Committee.

                  b. Employment  Period.  The "Employment  Period" as defined in
Section 2 of the  Employment  Agreement  is extended to the close of business on
December 31, 1998.

                  c.  Early   Resignation.   In  the  event  the  Company  names
Executive's  successor prior to the expiration of the Interim Period,  Executive
agrees to resign at such  earlier  date as the Board of  Directors  may request.
Executive's  compensation  shall  continue  through  the  Interim  Period  as if
Executive had not resigned.


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                  d.  Residence   Requirement.   Section  8  of  the  Employment
Agreement is deleted. During the Interim Period,  Executive shall work a minimum
of three (3) weeks per month at the Company's  headquarters in Lexington,  MA or
traveling on Company business.  In the event of Early Resignation as provided in
3c,  above,  after a  reasonable  transition  period,  Executive  shall  only be
required to spend such time in  Lexington,  MA as the Company  deems  reasonably
necessary.

                  e.  Travel  Reimbursement.  During  the  Interim  Period,  the
Company  shall  reimburse  Executive  for one coach class round trip airfare per
month between Boston, MA and Charleston, SC.

         4.       Post Interim Period.

         After  the  Interim  Period  or,  if  applicable,  Executive's  earlier
resignation, the following terms shall apply:

                  a. Stock Options.  Any stock options which  Executive has been
granted and which are vested on December 31, 1998, may be exercised by Executive
within one (1) year of the  Retirement  Date.  Any shares that are not vested by
December 31, 1998 shall be  forfeited.  As of June 5, 1998,  Executive  has been
granted  options to purchase a total of 645,000  shares of the Company's  common
stock. Of such 645,000 shares:  (i) Executive has exercised  options to purchase
90,000 shares,  (ii) 331,667 shares are currently vested and exercisable;  (iii)
on  December  13,  1998 an  additional  131,666  shares  will  vest  and  become
exercisable; and (iv) 91,667 shares shall not be vested and will be forfeited on
the Retirement Date.

                  b. Bonus. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors
shall  determine  the amount of Fiscal  Year 1998 Bonus  which may be payable to
Executive   pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  Company's  Annual  Incentive
Compensation Plan.

                  c. Life  Insurance.  Executive's  group  term  life  insurance
policy will end January 30,  1999.  Executive  may, if  eligible,  convert to an
individual policy issued by John Hancock at Executive's expense.

                  d. Perquisites.  All perquisites set forth in Section 6 of the
Employment Agreement shall terminate as of the close of business on December 31,
1998 and Executive  shall return to the Company the Vehicle  leased on behalf of
the Executive.

                  e. Medical and Dental Benefits. Executive's medical and dental
coverage with CIGNA HealthCare will end on January 30, 1999. Executive may elect
to extend  Executive's  coverage  through  COBRA for an  additional 18 months as
provided by COBRA law.

                  f.  Disability.  Executive's  short and  long-term  disability
coverage will end on December 31, 1998.



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                  g.  401(k)  Employee  Savings  and  Investment  Plan.  Company
records  indicate that Executive is  participating  in the Employee  Savings and
Investment  Plan.  Executive will receive a package of  information  from Putnam
Investments within the first two weeks of the month following the effective date
of Executive's  retirement.  This package will outline Executive's  distribution
options for funds currently in Executive's Putnam account.  Please be aware that
Executive  has 60 days from the date the package is mailed from Putnam to choose
a  distribution  option.  If Executive  wishes to receive the  information  from
Putnam  earlier,  Executive  may call  Putnam  at  1-800-685-6401  to  request a
package.

                  h. Retirement Income Plan.  Company records indicate Executive
has  completed  at least five years of service with Stride Rite and is therefore
is vested in a pension  benefit in accordance  with the provisions of The Stride
Rite  Retirement  Income  Plan.  Please  remember  to contact  The  Stride  Rite
Corporation  at least  three  months  prior to  Executive's  retirement  date to
initiate benefit payments.

                  i. Other Benefits.  Pursuant to applicable  benefit plan terms
and benefit  practices,  Executive's  eligibility  to  participate in any of the
Company's  other  employee  benefit plans and programs  ceases  effective on the
Retirement  Date.  Executive's  rights to benefits,  if any, are governed by the
terms of those benefit plans and programs.

         5.  Director/Advisor.  Following  Executive's  resignation as Chairman,
President and CEO of the Company,  Executive may continue to serve as a director
of the Company for the balance of the term under which  Executive  was elected a
director at the Company's annual  stockholders  meeting held in 1997.  Executive
agrees  that he will  resign as a director  of the Company at the request of the
majority  of the Board of  Directors.  In the  event  Executive  resigns  at the
request of the Board of Directors  prior to December 31, 1999, the Company shall
retain  Executive as an advisor for the calendar year 1999.  Executive's  annual
compensation for acting as an advisor for the Company shall be at an annual rate
of $50,000,  payable in equal monthly  installments,  pro-rated if such advisory
services  are provided for less than a full year.  The Company  shall  reimburse
Executive for travel and expenses incurred by Executive in performing his duties
under this Section 5.

         6.       General Release of Claims

         Except  for  Executive's  rights  and  benefits  under  the  Employment
Agreement, as amended, Executive voluntarily releases and discharges the Company
and its affiliates, subsidiaries, and the predecessors,  successors, and assigns
of each of them, and the current and former officers,  directors,  shareholders,
employees,  and  agents  of each of the  foregoing  (any  and all of  which  are
referred to as the "Releasees") generally from all charges, complaints,  claims,
promises,  agreements,  causes  of  action,  damages,  and  debts of any  nature
whatsoever,  known or unknown  ("Claims"),  which Executive has, claims to have,
ever had, or ever claimed to have had against the Company.  This general release
of Claims includes, without implication of limitation,

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all Claims related to Executive's  employment with the Company, the compensation
provided to Executive by the Company, or Executive's activities on behalf of the
Company,  including,  without implication of limitation, any Claims of breach of
contract, breach of an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, tortious
interference with advantageous relations, deceit or any intentional or negligent
misrepresentation,  and  unlawful  discrimination  under the  common  law or any
statute (including, without implication of limitation, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B,
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. ss. 2000e, et seq., the Age
Discrimination  in Employment  Act of 1967, 29 U.S.C.  ss.621,  et seq., and the
Americans  with  Disabilities  Act of 1990,  42  U.S.C.  ss.  12101,  et  seq.).
Executive also waives any Claim for  reinstatement,  severance  pay,  attorney's
fees, or costs.

         Except for the  Company's  rights  and  benefits  under the  Employment
Agreement, as amended, the Company voluntarily releases and discharges Executive
generally from all charges, complaints,  claims, promises, agreements, causes of
action,  damages,  and  debts  of  any  nature  whatsoever,   known  or  unknown
("Claims"),  which the Company has, claims to have, ever had, or ever claimed to
have had against  Executive.  This general release of Claims  includes,  without
implication of limitation, all Claims related to Executive's employment with the
Company,  Executive's  activities on behalf of the Company,  except any activity
involving deceit or any intentional  misrepresentation by Executive. The Company
also waives any Claim for attorney's fees and costs.

         Executive and the Company agree that they will not hereafter pursue any
claim against the other by filing a lawsuit in any local, state or federal court
for or on account of anything  which has  occurred up to the present  time,  and
Executive shall not seek reinstatement with, or damages of any nature, severance
pay,  attorney's  fees,  or costs from any  Releasee as a result of  Executive's
employment;  provided,  however,  that nothing in this general  release shall be
construed  to bar or limit  either  party's  rights to  enforce  the  Employment
Agreement,  as amended, or to release Executive's right to indemnification under
and in accordance with applicable by-laws.

         Executive  and the  Company  represent  to the other that they have not
heretofore assigned or transferred,  or purported to assign or transfer,  to any
person or entity, any respective Claim against the other or the Releasees or any
portion thereof or interest therein.

         7.       Confidentiality of Agreement.

         Except as may be required by law, Executive agrees to keep the terms of
this  Amendment  in the  strictest  confidence  and not reveal the terms of this
Amendment  to any  persons  except  Executive's  immediate  family,  Executive's
attorney,  and Executive's  financial  advisors,  and to them only provided that
they also agree to keep the information completely confidential.

         8.       Return of Property

         All  documents,  records,  materials,  software,  equipment,  and other
physical  property,  and all  copies  of any of the  foregoing,  whether  or not
pertaining  to  Confidential  Information,   that  have  come  into  Executive's
possession or been produced by Executive in connection with Executive's

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employment  ("Property")  have been and remain the sole property of the Company.
Executive  confirms that Executive will return to the Company all Property on or
before the Retirement Date.

         9.       Nondisparagement

         Executive agrees not to take any action or make any statement,  written
or oral, to any current or former employee of the Company or to any other person
which  disparages or could reasonably be interpreted to be in any way harmful to
the interest of the  Company,  its  officers,  directors,  management,  business
practices, or which disrupts or impairs its normal operations, including actions
or  statements  that  would  (a) harm the  reputation  of the  Company  with its
customers,  suppliers, or the public; or (b) interfere with existing contractual
or employment relationships with customers, suppliers or Company employees.

         The  Company  agrees  not to take any  action  or make  any  statement,
written or oral,  to any third party which  disparages  or could  reasonably  be
interpreted to be in any way harmful to the interest of Executive.

         10.      Notices and Acknowledgments

         Executive  is advised to consult with an attorney  before  signing this
Amendment.  By signing this Amendment,  Executive acknowledges that Executive is
doing  so  voluntarily.  Executive  understands  that  Executive  is  giving  up
Executive's right to bring all possible legal claims against the Company,  among
others,  including claims relating to Executive's employment and separation from
employment.  Executive  also  acknowledges  that Executive is not relying on any
representations  by any  representative of the Company concerning the meaning of
any aspect of this Amendment.

         11.      Other Terms

         All terms of the Employment  Agreement not modified herein shall remain
in full force and effect,  including,  without limitation,  Section 10 and 11 of
the  Employment  Agreement.   The  Employment  Agreement,  as  amended  by  this
Amendment,  is the entire agreement between  Executive and the Company,  and all
previous  agreements or promises  between  Executive and the Company relating to
the subject  matter of the Employment  Agreement,  as amended,  are  superseded,
null, and void.

         The Employment Agreement,  as amended,  shall be binding upon and shall
inure to the  benefit of each of the parties  and upon their  respective  heirs,
administrators, representatives, executors, successors and assigns.

         In the event of any dispute, the Employment Agreement, as amended, will
be  construed  as a  whole,  will be  interpreted  in  accordance  with its fair
meaning,  and will not be construed  strictly for or against either Executive or
the  Company.  The law of  Massachusetts  will  govern  any  dispute  about this
Agreement,  including  any  interpretation  or  enforcement  of this  Amendment,
without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions of  Massachusetts  law.
In the event that any  provision  or portion of a  provision  of the  Employment
Agreement, as amended, shall be determined to be unenforceable, the remainder

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of this Amendment  shall be enforced to the fullest  extent  possible as if such
provision or portion of a provision were not included. The Employment Agreement,
as amended,  may be modified only by a written agreement signed by Executive and
an authorized representative of the Company.

         Agreed and accepted this 5th day of June, 1998.

EXECUTIVE                               THE STRIDE RITE CORPORATION



___/s/ Robert C. Siegel______           By: __/s/ Frank Mori_______________
Robert C. Siegel, an individual             Frank Mori, Chairman of the
                                            Compensation Committee of the
                                            Board of Directors






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