EXHIBIT 25(b)

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939
OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY
OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2)

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO
(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

A National Banking Association 36-0899825
(I.R.S. employer
identification number)

One First National Plaza, Chicago, Illinois 60670-0126
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

The First National Bank of Chicago
One First National Plaza, Suite 0286
Chicago, Illinois 60670-0286
Attn: Lynn A. Goldstein, Law Department (312) 732-6919
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

THE MEAD CORPORATION
(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

Ohio 31-0535759
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization) identification number)

Mead World Headquarters
Courthouse Plaza Northwest
Dayton, Ohio 45463
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Debt Securities
(Title of Indenture Securities)

Item 1. General Information. Furnish the following
information as to the trustee:

(a) Name and address of each examining or supervising
authority to which it is subject.

Comptroller of Currency, Washington, D.C., Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C., The
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
Washington D.C.

(b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate
trust powers.

The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust
powers.

Item 2. Affiliations With the Obligor. If the obligor
is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each
such affiliation.

No such affiliation exists with the trustee.

Item 16. List of exhibits. List below all exhibits filed as a
part of this Statement of Eligibility.

1. A copy of the articles of association of the
trustee now in effect.*

2. A copy of the certificates of authority of the
trustee to commence business.*

3. A copy of the authorization of the trustee to
exercise corporate trust powers.*

4. A copy of the existing by-laws of the trustee.*

5. Not Applicable.

6. The consent of the trustee required by
Section 321(b) of the Act.

7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the
trustee published pursuant to law or the
requirements of its supervising or examining
authority.

8. Not Applicable.

9. Not Applicable.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended, the trustee, The First National Bank of Chicago, a
national banking association organized and existing under the
laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this
Statement of Eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of
Chicago and State of Illinois, on the 12th day of November,
1996.

The First National Bank of Chicago,
Trustee

By /s/ Richard D. Manella

Richard D. Manella
Vice President

* Exhibits 1, 2, 3 and 4 are herein incorporated by reference to
Exhibits bearing identical numbers in Item 16 of the Form T-1 of The
First National Bank of Chicago, filed as Exhibit 25.1 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-3 of SunAmerica Inc. filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 1996 (Registration
No. 333-14201).

EXHIBIT 6

THE CONSENT OF THE TRUSTEE REQUIRED
BY SECTION 321(b) OF THE ACT

November 12, 1996

Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549

Gentlemen:

In connection with the qualification of an indenture between The Mead
Corporation and The First National Bank of Chicago, the undersigned,
in accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended, hereby consents that the reports of examinations of the
undersigned, made by Federal or State authorities authorized to make
such examinations, may be furnished by such authorities to the
Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

Very truly yours,

The First National Bank of Chicago

By: /s/ Richard D. Manella

Richard D. Manella
Vice President

EXHIBIT 7

Legal Title of Bank: The First National Bank of Chicago Call Date: 06/30/96
Address: One First National Plaza, Ste 0460 ST-BK: 17-1630
City, State Zip: Chicago, IL 60670 FFIEC 031
FDIC Certificate No.: 0/3/6/1/8 Page RC-1

Consolidated Report of Condition for Insured Commercial
and State-Chartered Savings Banks for June 30, 1996

All schedules are to be reported in thousands of dollars. Unless otherwise
indicated, report the amount outstanding of the last business day of the
quarter.

Schedule RC--Balance Sheet

Dollar Amounts in C400 -
Thousands RCFD BIL MIL THOU

ASSETS

1. Cash and balances due from depository institutions (from Schedule
RC-A):
a. Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin(1)........... 0081 3,572,641 1.a.
b. Interest-bearing balances(2).................................... 0071 6,958,367 1.b.
2. Securities
a. Held-to-maturity securities(from Schedule RC-B, column A)....... 1754 0 2.a.
b. Available-for-sale securities (from Schedule RC-B, column D)......... 1773 1,448,974 2.b.
3. Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to
resell in domestic offices of the bank and its Edge and Agreement
subsidiaries, and in IBFs:
a. Federal Funds sold.............................................. 0276 5,020,878 3.a.
b. Securities purchased under agreements to resell....... 0277 918,688 3.b.
4. Loans and lease financing receivables:
a. Loans and leases, net of unearned income (from Schedule
RC-C).............................................................. RCFD 2122 19,125,160 4.a.
b. LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses....................... RCFD 3123 379,232 4.b.
c. LESS: Allocated transfer risk reserve........................... RCFD 3128 0 4.c.
d. Loans and leases, net of unearned income, allowance, and
reserve (item 4.a minus 4.b and 4.c).................. 2125 18,745,928 4.d.
5. Assets held in trading accounts.................................... 3545 9,599,172 5.
6. Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)........... 2145 623,289 6.
7. Other real estate owned (from Schedule RC-M)............. 2150 8,927 7.
8. Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated
companies (from Schedule RC-M)..................................... 2130 57,280 8.
9. Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding....... 2155 632,259 9.
10. Intangible assets (from Schedule RC-M)............................. 2143 156,715 10.
11. Other assets (from Schedule RC-F).................................. 2160 1,592,088 11.
12. Total assets (sum of items 1 through 11)........................... 2170 49,335,206 12.

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(1) Includes cash items in process of collection and unposted debits.
(2) Includes time certificates of deposit not held for trading.

Dollar Amounts in
Thousands Bil Mil Thou
LIABILITIES
13. Deposits:

a. In domestic offices (sum of totals of columns A and C
from Schedule RC-E, part 1)........................... RCON 2200 16,878,870 13.a.
(1) Noninterest-bearing(1)............................ RCON 6631 7,855,880 13.a.(1)
(2) Interest-bearing.................................. RCON 6636 9,022,990 13.a.(2)
b. In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and
IBFs (from Schedule RC-E, part II).................... RCFN 2200 12,677,057 13.b.
(1) Noninterest bearing............................... RCFN 6631 766,936 13.b.(1)
(2) Interest-bearing.................................. RCFN 6636 11,910,121 13.b.(2)
14. Federal funds purchased and securities sold under
agreements to repurchase in domestic offices of the
bank and of its Edge and Agreement subsidiaries,
and in IBFs:
a. Federal funds purchased............................... RCFD 0278 1,318,968 14.a.
b. Securities sold under agreements to repurchase RCFD 0279 1,197,589 14.b.
15. a. Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury.... RCON 2840 104,546 15.a.
b. Trading Liabilities................................... RCFD 3548 6,431,784 15.b.

16. Other borrowed money:
a. With original maturity of one year or less............ RCFD 2332 4,437,636 16.a.
b. With original maturity of more than one year......... RCFD 2333 75,308 16.b.
17. Mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized
leases......................................... RCFD 2910 283,041 17.
18. Bank's liability on acceptance executed and outstanding.. RCFD 2920 632,259 18.
19. Subordinated notes and debentures........................ RCFD 3200 1,275,000 19.
20. Other liabilities (from Schedule RC-G)......... RCFD 2930 892,947 20.
21. Total liabilities (sum of items 13 through 20)........... RCFD 2948 46,205,005 21.
22. Limited-Life preferred stock and related surplus......... RCFD 3282 0 22.
EQUITY CAPITAL
23. Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus............ RCFD 3838 0 23.
24. Common stock............................................. RCFD 3230 200,858 24.
25. Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock). RCFD 3839 2,349,164 25.
26. a. Undivided profits and capital reserves................. RCFD 3632 584,878 26.a.
b. Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale
securities............................................ RCFD 8434 (3,951) 26.b.
27. Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments...... RCFD 3284 (748) 27.
28. Total equity capital (sum of items 23 through 27) RCFD 3210 3,130,201 28.
29. Total liabilities, limited-life preferred stock, and equity
capital (sum of items 21, 22, and 28).................... RCFD 3300 49,335,206 29.

Memorandum
To be reported only with the March Report of Condition.
1. Indicate in the box at the right the number of the
statement below that best describes the most
comprehensive level of auditing work performed
for the bank by independent external Number
auditors as of any date during 1995. ......RCFD 6724 ..... N/A M.1.

1 = Independent audit of the bank conducted in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards by a certified
public accounting firm which submits a report on the bank
2 = Independent audit of the bank's parent holding company
conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards by a certified public accounting firm which
submits a report on the consolidated holding company
(but not on the bank separately)
3 = Directors' examination of the bank conducted in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards
by a certified public accounting firm (may be required by
state chartering authority)
4. = Directors' examination of the bank performed by other
external auditors (may be required by state chartering
authority)
5 = Review of the bank's financial statements by external
auditors
6 = Compilation of the bank's financial statements by external
auditors
7 = Other audit procedures (excluding tax preparation work)
8 = No external audit work

<FN>
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(1) Includes total demand deposits and noninterest-bearing
time and savings deposits.