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                      [HARCOURT GENERAL LETTERHEAD]

                                                              News Release

Contact Tim King 
        Director
        Corporate Relations
        (617) 232-8200
                                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                        HARCOURT GENERAL COMPLETES
                           STECK-VAUGHN MERGER

        CHESTNUT HILL, Mass., January 30, 1998 -- Harcourt General, Inc.
(NYSE:H) announced today that it has completed the previously announced merger
with Steck-Vaughn Publishing Corporation (NASDAQ:STEK), a publisher of
supplementary educational materials headquartered in Austin, Texas.

        Harcourt General acquired approximately 82 percent of Steck-Vaughn's
outstanding common stock when it purchased National Education Corporation last
June. To complete this merger the Company has acquired the remaining
Steck-Vaughn shares for $14.75 per share, or a total of approximately $42.8
million.

        Harcourt General, Inc. is a leading global multiple-media publisher and
service provider to establish educational, trade and professional markets as
well as to emerging for-profit educational, career-training and assessment
markets. The Company is also a leading specialty retailer through its 53%
controlling interest in The Neiman Marcus Group (NYSE:NMG).