SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                
                     WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
                                
                            FORM 8-K
                                
                         CURRENT REPORT
                                
               PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
             THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - December 10, 1998



                        STANDEX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



 Delaware                     001-07233                 310569149
(State or other juris-        (Commission             (IRS Employer
diction of incorporation)      File No.)              Identification No.)



 6 Manor Parkway, Salem, New Hampshire                  03079
(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code  (603) 893-9701


                           [Not Applicable]
    (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
                                

Item 5.   Other Events.

     On  December  10,  1998, the Board of Directors  of  Standex
International Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend  of
one  Right  for  each outstanding share of the  Company's  Common
Stock  to  stockholders of record at the  close  of  business  on
January  25,  1999 (the "Record Date").  Each Right entitles  the
registered  holder  to  purchase from the Company  one  share  of
Common Stock, $1.50 par value per share (the "Common Stock"),  at
a  Purchase Price of $95.00 in cash, subject to adjustment.   The
description  and terms of the Rights are set forth  in  a  Rights
Agreement dated as of  December 10, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement")
between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights Agent.

     Initially,  the Rights will be attached to all Common  Stock
certificates  representing  shares  then  outstanding,   and   no
separate Rights Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will
separate from the Common Stock and a Distribution Date will occur
upon  the earlier of (i) 10 business days (or such later date  as
may  be  determined  by the Board of Directors  of  the  Company)
following the later of (a) a public announcement that a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person")
has  acquired,  or  obtained  the right  to  acquire,  beneficial
ownership  of  15%  or more of the outstanding shares  of  Common
Stock or (b) the first date on which an executive officer of  the
Company has actual knowledge that an Acquiring Person has  become
such (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business days (or
such later date as may be determined by the Board of Directors of
the  Company)  following the commencement of a  tender  offer  or
exchange   offer  that  would  result  in  a  person   or   group
beneficially  owning  15% or more of such outstanding  shares  of
Common  Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption
or expiration of the Rights), (i) the Rights will be evidenced by
the  Common Stock certificates and will be transferred  with  and
only  with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common  Stock
certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a notation
incorporating  the Rights Agreement by reference  and  (iii)  the
surrender  for  transfer  of any certificates  for  Common  Stock
outstanding, even without such notation, will also constitute the
transfer   of  the  Rights  associated  with  the  Common   Stock
represented by such certificate.

     The  Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution  Date
and  will expire upon the close of business on December 10,  2008
(the   "Final  Expiration  Date")  unless  earlier  redeemed   or
exchanged  as described below. As soon as practicable  after  the
Distribution Date, separate Rights Certificates will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business
on  the  Distribution Date and, thereafter, the  separate  Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise
determined  by the Board of Directors, and except for  shares  of
Common Stock issued upon exercise, conversion or exchange of then
outstanding  options, convertible or exchangeable  securities  or
other  contingent  obligations to issue shares,  only  shares  of
Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued
with Rights.

     In  the  event that any Person becomes an Acquiring  Person,
unless  the  event causing the 15% threshold to be crossed  is  a
Permitted  Offer  (as  defined in the  Rights  Agreement),  then,
promptly  following  the first occurrence  of  such  event,  each
holder  of a Right (except as provided below and in Section  7(e)
of  the  Rights  Agreement) shall thereafter have  the  right  to
receive, upon exercise, that number of shares of Common Stock  of
the  Company  (or,  in certain circumstances, cash,  property  or
other  securities of the Company) which equals the exercise price
of  the  Right  divided by 50% of the current  market  price  (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) per share of Common Stock at the
date  of  the occurrence of such event. However, Rights  are  not
exercisable  following such event until such time as  the  Rights
are  no  longer  redeemable by the Company  as  described  below.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of
such  event, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances
specified  in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially  owned  by
any  Acquiring Person will be null and void. The event summarized
in this paragraph is referred to as a "Section 11(a)(ii) Event."

     In  the event that, at any time after any Person becomes  an
Acquiring Person, (i) the Company is consolidated with, or merged
with  and  into,  another  entity and  the  Company  is  not  the
surviving  entity of such consolidation or merger (other  than  a
consolidation or merger which follows a Permitted  Offer)  or  if
the   Company  is  the  surviving  entity,  but  shares  of   its
outstanding  Common Stock are changed or exchanged for  stock  or
securities  (of any other person) or cash or any other  property,
or  (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power  is
sold  or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which
previously  have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter
have  the right to receive, upon exercise, that number of  shares
of  common  stock  of  the  acquiring company  which  equals  the
exercise price of the Right divided by 50% of the current  market
price  of such common stock at the date of the occurrence of  the
event. The events summarized in this paragraph are referred to as
"Section  13  Events." A Section 11(a)(ii) Event and  Section  13
Events are collectively referred to as "Triggering Events."

     At  any  time  after  the occurrence of a Section  11(a)(ii)
Event,  subject to certain conditions, the Board of Directors  of
the  Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned  by
such  Acquiring Person which have become void), in  whole  or  in
part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right
(subject to adjustment).
     
     The  Purchase  Price payable, and the number  of  shares  of
Common  Stock  or  other  securities or property  issuable,  upon
exercise  of  the Rights are subject to adjustment from  time  to
time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on,
or  a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Common
Stock,  (ii)  if holders of the Common Stock are granted  certain
rights  or  warrants to subscribe for Common Stock or convertible
securities  at  less than the then-current market  price  of  the
Common  Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders  of  the
Common  Stock  of evidences of indebtedness or assets  (excluding
regular  periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained
earnings) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).

     With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will  be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least
1%  of  the Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Common  Stock
will  be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash  will
be made based on the market price of the Common Stock on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.

     At  any  time prior to the earlier of (i) the tenth Business
Day  (or  such  later date as may be determined by the  Board  of
Directors  of the Company) after the Stock Acquisition  Date,  or
(ii) the Final Expiration Date, the Company may redeem the Rights
in  whole,  but not in part, at a price of $.001 per  Right  (the
"Redemption Price"), payable in cash or stock.  Immediately  upon
the  action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of  the
Rights,  the  Rights will terminate and the  only  right  of  the
holders  of  Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.  The
Rights   may   also   be  redeemable  following   certain   other
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement.

     Until  a  Right is exercised, the holder thereof,  as  such,
will  have  no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including,
without  limitation, the right to vote or to  receive  dividends.
While  the  distribution of the Rights will  not  be  taxable  to
stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending  upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
Rights   become   exercisable  for   Common   Stock   (or   other
consideration)  of  the  Company  or  for  common  stock  of  the
acquiring company as set forth above.

     Subject to certain exceptions, any of the provisions of  the
Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of  the
Company  prior  to  such  time  as  the  Rights  are  no   longer
redeemable.
  
     The foregoing description of the Rights does not purport  to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
Exhibits.

  
  Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  
               (c)  Exhibits

  
  Exhibit No.                                Exhibit
  
                      
     4.1               Form of Rights Agreement, dated as of December 10, 1998,
                       between Standex International Corporation and BankBoston, N.A.,
                       which includes as Exhibit A the Form of Rights Certificate, and
                       as Exhibit B the Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Stock.
     
     99.1              Press  Release, dated December 10, 1998 announcing adoption of
                       the Stockholder Rights Plan.
  

                           SIGNATURES
  
  
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
  Date: December 18, 1998          STANDEX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
  
  
  
                                   By:     /s/ Edward F. Paquette
                                   Title:  Vice President/CFO