Document:

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                                                               EXHIBIT 10.16 (C)

                              ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT

                                                                   June 17, 2002

TO:  The Agent and the Lenders that
     are parties to the Credit Agreement
     referred to below

     Please refer to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (364 Days) dated
as of May 29, 2001 (as amended or otherwise modified on or prior to the date
hereof, the "Credit Agreement") among NASCO International, Inc., as Borrower
(the "Borrower"), the commercial lending institutions party thereto and Bank of
America, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the "Agent"). This Assumption Agreement
is delivered pursuant to Section 3.1 of the Second Amendment to the Credit
Agreement.

     The undersigned, The Aristotle Corporation, hereby (a) assumes all rights
and obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan
Documents (as defined in the Credit Agreement), (b) acknowledges that it has
received a copy of the Credit Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents as
in effect on the date hereof and (c) acknowledges that it shall be bound by the
provisions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents (to the extent
the Borrower was party thereto) as if it were an original signatory thereto and
that all references to the "Borrower" in the Credit Agreement and each other
Loan Document shall hereafter be deemed to be references to The Aristotle
Corporation.

     This Assumption Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of Illinois applicable to contracts made and to be
performed entirely within such State.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed and delivered this
Assumption Agreement as of the date and year first written above.

                                        THE ARISTOTLE CORPORATION

                                        By: /s/ Paul M. McDonald
                                            --------------------
                                        Name: Paul M. McDonald
                                        Title: Chief Financial Officer<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.21

                             ASSUMPTION OF MORTGAGE
                           AND MODIFICATION AGREEMENT

     THIS ASSUMPTION OF MORTGAGE AND MODIFICATION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement")
is made as of July 12, 2002 by and between THE ARISTOTLE CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation ("Mortgagor"), successor-by-merger to NASCO INTERNATIONAL, INC., a
Wisconsin corporation ("Nasco"), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative
agent for the Lenders ("Agent"), with respect to the following Recitals:

                                R E C I T A L S:

     A.   Nasco has previously executed and delivered for the benefit of Agent
that certain Second Amended and Restated Mortgage dated August 21, 2001 (the
"Security Instrument") and recorded on September 4, 2001 in Volume 1243, Page
131, and rerecorded on September 6, 2001 in Volume 1244, Page 344 in the
Register of Deeds, Jefferson County, Wisconsin (the "Official Records") which
encumbers the Land described in EXHIBIT A attached hereto and incorporated
herein. All initially-capitalized terms not defined herein shall have their
meaning as set forth in the Security Instrument.

     B.   The Security Instrument secures, among other things, Nasco's
obligations under the Credit Agreements.

     C.   Nasco and Agent have entered into (i) that certain First Amendment to
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (Five Year) and Consent dated June 17,
2002 and (ii) that certain Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit
Agreement (364 Days) and Consent dated June 17, 2002 (collectively, the "Credit
Agreement Amendments"). Pursuant to the Credit Agreement Amendments, Agent has,
among other things, conditionally consented to Nasco's merging into Mortgagor
(the "Merger"). Pursuant to the Credit Agreement Amendments, among other things,
Mortgagor is executing an Assumption Agreement whereby Mortgagor is assuming all
of Nasco's obligations under the Loan Documents.

     D.   Pursuant to the Credit Agreement Amendments, among other things, Agent
has required Mortgagor to enter into this Agreement.

     NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing Recitals, the mutual
covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties agree as follows:

     1.   ASSUMPTION

          Mortgagor acknowledges that it has acquired or will acquire
     concurrently herewith the fee simple interest of Nasco in and to the Land
     and hereby accepts and assumes the obligations and duties of Nasco in, to
     and under the Security Instrument, whether occurring before or after the
     date of this Agreement. Mortgagor acknowledges

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     and agrees that it holds or will hold fee simple title to the Land,
     together with all rights and interests appurtenant thereto, subject to the
     provisions of this Agreement and the charge and lien of the Security
     Instrument and that it shall be bound by all of the terms, conditions and
     covenants contained therein and herein.

2.   MODIFICATION OF SECURITY INSTRUMENT

          The Security Instrument is hereby modified to (i) reflect the
     assignment and assumption set forth in this Agreement, (ii) provide that
     all references to the Credit Agreements, the Credit Agreement (Five Year)
     and the Credit Agreement (364 Days) in the Security Instrument shall mean,
     respectively, the Credit Agreements, the Credit Agreement (Five Year) and
     the Credit Agreement (364 Days) as amended as of the date hereof, including
     by the Credit Agreement Amendments, and as the same may be further modified
     in the future, (iii) provide that all of the obligations under the Loan
     Documents as modified by this Agreement are the obligations of Mortgagor as
     if Mortgagor is named therein, and (iv) reflect that the Credit Agreement
     Amendments and this Agreement constitute Loan Documents.

3.   TITLE ENDORSEMENT

          Concurrently with the recording of this Agreement, Mortgagor shall
     cause to be delivered to Agent at Mortgagor's and/or Nasco's sole cost and
     expense a CLTA 110.5 endorsement (or Wisconsin equivalent), in form and
     substance acceptable to Agent in its sole and absolute discretion, to
     Agent's existing title policy relating to the Security Instrument.

4.   GOVERNING LAW

          This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in
     accordance with, the laws of the State of Wisconsin.

5.   COUNTERPARTS

          This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
     which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and
     all of which counterparts taken together shall constitute but one and the
     same instrument. Signature and acknowledgment pages may be detached from
     the counterparts and attached to a single copy of this Agreement to
     physically form one document, which may be recorded.

                                      -2-
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          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly
     executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

                                     MORTGAGOR:

                                     THE ARISTOTLE CORPORATION,
                                     a Delaware corporation (successor-by-merger
                                     to Nasco International Inc., a Wisconsin
                                     corporation)

                                     By:  /s/ Steven B. Lapin
                                          -------------------
                                     Its: President and Chief Operating Officer

                                     AGENT:

                                     BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Agent for the
                                     Lenders

                                     By:  /s/ David Johanson
                                          ------------------
                                     Its: Vice President

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

STATE OF                                    )
         -----------------------------------
                                            ) SS.
COUNTY OF                                   )
          ----------------------------------

     Personally came before me this _____ day of _____________, 2002, the
above-named _______________, to me known to be the ________________ of The
Aristotle Corporation, who executed the foregoing document on behalf of such
_________________ and acknowledged the same.

                                  Name:
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                  Notary Public, State of
                                                          ----------------------
                                  County of
                                            ------------------------------------
                                  My Commission:
                                                --------------------------------

                                                        [NOTARIAL SEAL]

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

STATE OF                                    )
         -----------------------------------
                                            ) SS.
COUNTY OF                                   )
          ----------------------------------

     Personally came before me this _____ day of _____________, 2002, the
above-named _______________, to me known to be the ________________ of Bank of
America, N.A., who executed the foregoing document on behalf of such
_________________ and acknowledged the same.

                                  Name:
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                  Notary Public, State of
                                                          ----------------------
                                  County of
                                            ------------------------------------
                                  My Commission:
                                                --------------------------------

                                                        [NOTARIAL SEAL]

                                      -5-

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