November 13, 1996


Board of Directors
The Source Company
11644 Lilburn Park Road

St. Louis, Missouri 63146

        Re:     Registration Statement on Form S-8


Gentlemen:

        We have  served as counsel  to The Source  Company  (the  "Company")  in
connection  with  the  various  legal  matters  relating  to  the  filing  of  a
registration  statement  on Form S-8 (the  "Registration  Statement")  under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  and the Rules and  Regulations  promulgated
thereunder, relating to 680,000 shares of common stock of the Company, par value
$0.01 per share (the  "Shares"),  reserved for issuance in  accordance  with The
Source  Company  Stock Award Plan and The Source  Company 1995  Incentive  Stock
Option Plan (the "Plans").

        We have examined such  corporate  records of the Company,  such laws and
such other  information  as we have deemed  relevant,  including  the  Company's
Articles of Incorporation,  as amended,  Bylaws,  certain resolutions adopted by
the Board of  Directors  of the Company  relating to the Plans and  certificates
received from state  officials  and from officers of the Company.  In delivering
this  opinion,   we  have  assumed  the  genuineness  of  all  signatures,   the
authenticity  of all documents  submitted to us as originals,  the conformity to
the originals of all  documents  submitted to us as  certified,  photostatic  or
conformed  copies,  and the  correctness  of all  statements  submitted to us by
officers of the Company.

        Based upon the foregoing, the undersigned is of the opinion that:

                    1. The Company is a corporation duly  incorporated,  validly
               existing  and in good  standing  under  the laws of the  State of
               Missouri.

                    2. The Common Stock being offered by the Company,  if issued
               in  accordance  with  the  Plans,  will  be  validly  issued  and
               outstanding and will be fully paid and nonassessable.

        We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the  Registration
Statement  and to the use of our  name in the  Registration  Statement.  We also
consent to your filing copies of this opinion as an exhibit to the  Registration
Statement  with  agencies of such states as you deem  necessary in the course of
complying  with the laws of such  states  regarding  the  issuance of the Shares
pursuant to the Plans.

                                       Very truly yours,


                                       /s/ Gallop,  Johnson & Neuman, L.C.