Houghton Mifflin Co. News Release - 02/20/04

Houghton Mifflin Recognizes Local Shakespeare Competition Winners

Company Continues its Support of Local Education Initiatives

BOSTON, Mass. - February 20, 2004 - The Houghton Mifflin College Division awarded ten college editions of "The Riverside Shakespeare, Second Edition" to finalists of the English-Speaking Union's annual Shakespeare Competition for High School Students. Thirty Metro Boston public, private and parochial schools participated in the curriculum-based program, bringing their own interpretations of Shakespeare to life through prepared monologues and sonnets. The winner of the competition will represent Boston at The English-Speaking Union (ESU) Teen Shakespeare Nationals in April.

ESU is a non-profit, non-political educational organization committed to promoting scholarship and the advancement of knowledge through the effective use of English in an expanding global community. For more information, visit www.esu-boston.org.

Houghton Mifflin issued the first "Riverside Shakespeare" in 1883. "The Riverside Shakespeare, Second Edition" is a complete collection of Shakespeare's plays and poems, and features two essays on recent criticism and productions, fully updated textual notes, a photographic insert of recent productions, and two works recently attributed to Shakespeare. In the summer of 2004, Houghton Mifflin's College Division will introduce the "New Riverside Editions of Shakespeare," consisting of individual paperback editions of "Hamlet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "As You Like It," "Richard III," "The Tempest," and "Macbeth," drawn directly from "The Riverside Shakespeare."

About Houghton Mifflin
Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Company is one of the leading educational publishers in the United States, with over $1 billion in sales. Houghton Mifflin publishes textbooks, instructional technology, assessments and other educational materials for elementary and secondary schools and colleges. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers. Additionally, Houghton Mifflin offers computer-administered testing programs and services for the professional and certification markets. With its origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin today combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. The Company's website can be found at www.hmco.com.

CONTACT:
Nicole Evans
Public Relations Specialist
Houghton Mifflin
617-351-3817
Nicole_Evans@hmco.com