Exhibit (31) b
 
  1.
    
    I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of American Greetings Corporation;2.
    
    Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
covered by this report;3.
    
    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in
this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of
operations and cash flows of American Greetings Corporation as of, and for, the periods
presented in this report;4.
    
    American Greetings Corporations other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for American Greetings Corporation and have:
 a)
    
    Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure
that material information relating to American Greetings Corporation, including its
consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities,
particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;b)
    
    Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such
internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to
provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and
the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles;c)
    
    Evaluated the effectiveness of American Greetings Corporations
disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions
about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of
the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; andd)
    
    Disclosed in this report any change in American Greetings Corporations
internal control over financial reporting that occurred during American Greetings
Corporations most recent fiscal quarter (the American Greetings Corporations
fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected,
or is reasonably likely to materially affect, American Greetings Corporations
internal control over financial reporting; and
 5.
    
    American Greetings Corporations other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our
most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to American Greetings
Corporations auditors and the audit committee of American Greetings Corporations board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
 a)
    
    All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely
to adversely affect American Greetings Corporations ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial information; andb)
    
    Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in American Greetings Corporations internal
control over financial reporting.
  /s/ Stephen J. Smith

Stephen J. SmithSenior Vice President andChief Financial Officer (principal financial officer)