<PAGE>
 
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 7, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-______

================================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.
            (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

          Delaware                                             36-2090085
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
 Incorporation or Organization)                          Identification Number)

               7444 West Wilson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60656
  (Address, including Zip Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

                           METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.
                         ELECTRONIC CONTROLS DIVISION
                   CASH AND CLASS A COMMON STOCK BONUS PLAN
                   ----------------------------------------
                           (Full Title of the Plan)

                                Kevin J. Hayes
                           Methode Electronics, Inc.
                            7444 West Wilson Avenue
                            Chicago, Illinois 60656
                                 (708) 867-9600
           (Name, Address, and Telephone Number of Agent For Service)

                           -------------------------

                                   Copies to:
                              James W. Ashley, Jr.
                                 Janet O. Love
                             Lord, Bissell & Brook
                            115 South LaSalle Street
                            Chicago, Illinois  60603
                                 (312) 443-0700

                           -------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
                                  Amount               Proposed maximum  Proposed maximum
Title of each class of            to be                offering price    aggregate           Amount of
securities to be registered       registered(1)(2)(3)  per share(4)      offering price(4)   registration fee
---------------------------       -------------------  ----------------  ------------------- ----------------
<S>                               <C>                  <C>               <C>                 <C>
 
Class A Common Stock              100,000              $15.75            $1,575,000          $149.63
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE> 

(1)  Represents the maximum number of shares of Class A Common Stock of the
     Company that may be issued hereunder.
(2)  Together with an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be
     necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance as a result
     of any future stock split, stock dividend or similar adjustment of the
     outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company.
(3)  Pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-88036), the
     Company previously registered 75,000 shares of Class A Common Stock to be
     issued pursuant to the Plan.
(4)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of
     calculating the registration fee and based upon the basis of the average
     high and low prices of the Class A Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq
     National Market on April 3, 1998.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT



Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          There are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement the following documents and information heretofore filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"):

          1.   The description of the Class A Common Stock of Methode
               Electronics, Inc. (the "Registrant") contained in the
               Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated October 5,
               1982, registering such shares pursuant to Section 12 of the
               Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
               including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
               updating such description.

          2.   The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
               April 30, 1997.

          3.   The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters
               ended July 31, 1997, October 31, 1997 and January 31, 1998, filed
               pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act.

          All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration
Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates
that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

Item 4.   Description of Securities.

          Not applicable.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          Not applicable.

Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

          The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that the
Company shall indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General
Corporation Law any person ("Indemnified Party") who is made a party to or
involved in any litigation by reason of the fact that

                                     II-1
<PAGE>
 
he is or was a director or officer of the Company. Indemnified Parties are
indemnified against all expense, liability or loss (including attorneys' fees),
reasonably incurred by them in connection with any such litigation. The
Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation requires the Company to pay the
Indemnified Party in advance for the expenses incurred in defending any
proceeding for which the right to indemnification is applicable. In accordance
with the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Indemnified Party may be required
to provide an undertaking to repay all amounts advanced if it is ultimately
determined that the Indemnified Party is not entitled to such indemnification.

          The Restated Certificate of Incorporation further provides that the
Registrant's directors shall not be personally liable to the Registrant or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director
except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the
Registrant or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omission not in good faith or
which involve intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law, (iii) under
Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) any transaction
from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The Restated
Certificate of Incorporation provides that any repeal or modification of such
provision may be prospective only and may not adversely affect any right or
protection of a director of the Registrant existing at the time of such repeal
or modification.

          Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law grants companies
broad powers to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities that
they may incur in such capacities, including liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 7.   Exemption from Registration Claimed.

          Not applicable.

Item 8.   Exhibits.

          See the Index to Exhibits immediately following the signature pages.

Item 9.   Undertakings.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          A.   (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement (i) to
include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"); (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any
facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in
the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in
the Registration Statement; and (iii) to include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration
Statement; provided, however, that sections (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if
the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
sections is contained in periodic reports filed by

                                     II-2
<PAGE>
 
the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          B.   That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to
Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each
filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of
the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          C.   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                     II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES
                                  ----------

The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, on March 31, 1998.

                                      METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.

                                      By: /s/ William J. McGinley
                                          --------------------------
                                            William J. McGinley
                                      Its:  President and Chairman


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below hereby constitutes and appoints Kevin J. Hayes and William J. McGinley, or
either of them, each with power to act without the other, as his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any
or all subsequent pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to this
Registration Statement, and to file the same, or cause to be filed the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and
agent full power to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that any said attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

NAME AND CAPACITY                                       DATE
-----------------                                       ----



/s/ William J. McGinley                                 March 31, 1998
--------------------------                    
William J. McGinley
President, Chairman and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

                                     II-4
<PAGE>
 
/s/ Kevin J. Hayes                                      March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
Kevin J. Hayes, Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer, Assistant Secretary
and Director (Principal Financial and       
Accounting Officer)                         
                                            
                                            
/s/ Michael g. Andre                                    March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
Michael G. Andre, Senior Executive          
Vice President and Director                 
                                            
                                            
/s/ John R. Cannon                                      March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
John R. Cannon, Senior Executive            
Vice President and Director                 
                                            
                                            
                                                        March __, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
William C. Croft, Director                  
                                            
                                            
/s/ James W. McGinley                                   March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
James W. McGinley, President, Optical       
Interconnect Products, and Director         
                                            
                                            
                                                        March __, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
Raymond J. Roberts, Director                
                                            
                                            
                                                        March __, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
George C. Wright, Director                  
                                            
                                            
/s/ James W. Ashley, Jr.                                March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
James W. Ashley, Jr., Secretary and         
Director                                     

                                     II-5
<PAGE>
 
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit No.    Description
----------     -----------
             
4.1            Article Fourth of the Company's Restated Certificate of
               Incorporation, as amended(1)
               
4.2            Specimen Certificate of Class A Common Stock(2)                  
                                                                                
4.3            Methode Electronics, Inc. Electronic Controls Division Cash and
               Class A Common Stock Bonus Plan, as amended (filed herewith)

5              Opinion of Lord, Bissell & Brook (filed herewith)                
                                                                                
23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (filed herewith)                    
                                                                                
23.2           Consent of Lord, Bissell & Brook (included in Exhibit 5          
               above)                                                           
                                                                                
24             Power of Attorney (included on signature page)                   


---------------------

(1)  Exhibit is incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-8, relating to the Company's 1997 Stock Plan filed as 
     of the date hereof.

(2)  Exhibit is incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-3, Registration No. 33-61940.

(3)  Exhibit is incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 33-88036.

                                     II-6
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8 - CASH & CLASS A COMMON STOCK PLAN", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18418}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "METHODE ELECTRONICS INC", "cik": "0000065270", "assigned-sic": "3678", "irs-number": "362090085", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0430"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-49559", "film-number": "98588936"}, "business-address": {"street1": "7444 W WILSON AVE", "city": "HARWOOD HEIGHTS", "state": "IL", "zip": "60656", "phone": "7088679600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "7444 WEST WILSON AVENUE", "city": "CHICAGO", "state": "IL", "zip": "60656"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 7, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-______

================================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.
            (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

          Delaware                                             36-2090085
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
 Incorporation or Organization)                          Identification Number)

               7444 West Wilson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60656
  (Address, including Zip Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

                           METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.
                         ELECTRONIC CONTROLS DIVISION
                   CASH AND CLASS A COMMON STOCK BONUS PLAN
                   ----------------------------------------
                           (Full Title of the Plan)

                                Kevin J. Hayes
                           Methode Electronics, Inc.
                            7444 West Wilson Avenue
                            Chicago, Illinois 60656
                                 (708) 867-9600
           (Name, Address, and Telephone Number of Agent For Service)

                           -------------------------

                                   Copies to:
                              James W. Ashley, Jr.
                                 Janet O. Love
                             Lord, Bissell & Brook
                            115 South LaSalle Street
                            Chicago, Illinois  60603
                                 (312) 443-0700

                           -------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Amount               Proposed maximum  Proposed maximum
Title of each class of            to be                offering price    aggregate           Amount of
securities to be registered       registered(1)(2)(3)  per share(4)      offering price(4)   registration fee
---------------------------       -------------------  ----------------  ------------------- ----------------
Class A Common Stock              100,000              $15.75            $1,575,000          $149.63
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  Represents the maximum number of shares of Class A Common Stock of the
     Company that may be issued hereunder.
(2)  Together with an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be
     necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance as a result
     of any future stock split, stock dividend or similar adjustment of the
     outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company.
(3)  Pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-88036), the
     Company previously registered 75,000 shares of Class A Common Stock to be
     issued pursuant to the Plan.
(4)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of
     calculating the registration fee and based upon the basis of the average
     high and low prices of the Class A Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq
     National Market on April 3, 1998.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          There are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement the following documents and information heretofore filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"):

          1.   The description of the Class A Common Stock of Methode
               Electronics, Inc. (the "Registrant") contained in the
               Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated October 5,
               1982, registering such shares pursuant to Section 12 of the
               Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
               including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
               updating such description.

          2.   The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
               April 30, 1997.

          3.   The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters
               ended July 31, 1997, October 31, 1997 and January 31, 1998, filed
               pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act.

          All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration
Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates
that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

Item 4.   Description of Securities.

          Not applicable.

Item 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          Not applicable.

Item 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

          The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that the
Company shall indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General
Corporation Law any person ("Indemnified Party") who is made a party to or
involved in any litigation by reason of the fact that

                                     II-1
he is or was a director or officer of the Company. Indemnified Parties are
indemnified against all expense, liability or loss (including attorneys' fees),
reasonably incurred by them in connection with any such litigation. The
Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation requires the Company to pay the
Indemnified Party in advance for the expenses incurred in defending any
proceeding for which the right to indemnification is applicable. In accordance
with the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Indemnified Party may be required
to provide an undertaking to repay all amounts advanced if it is ultimately
determined that the Indemnified Party is not entitled to such indemnification.

          The Restated Certificate of Incorporation further provides that the
Registrant's directors shall not be personally liable to the Registrant or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director
except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the
Registrant or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omission not in good faith or
which involve intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law, (iii) under
Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) any transaction
from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The Restated
Certificate of Incorporation provides that any repeal or modification of such
provision may be prospective only and may not adversely affect any right or
protection of a director of the Registrant existing at the time of such repeal
or modification.

          Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law grants companies
broad powers to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities that
they may incur in such capacities, including liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 7.   Exemption from Registration Claimed.

          Not applicable.

Item 8.   Exhibits.

          See the Index to Exhibits immediately following the signature pages.

Item 9.   Undertakings.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          A.   (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement (i) to
include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"); (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any
facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in
the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in
the Registration Statement; and (iii) to include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration
Statement; provided, however, that sections (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if
the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
sections is contained in periodic reports filed by

                                     II-2
the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          B.   That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to
Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each
filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of
the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          C.   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                     II-3
SIGNATURES
                                  ----------

The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, on March 31, 1998.

                                      METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.

                                      By: /s/ William J. McGinley
                                          --------------------------
                                            William J. McGinley
                                      Its:  President and Chairman

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below hereby constitutes and appoints Kevin J. Hayes and William J. McGinley, or
either of them, each with power to act without the other, as his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any
or all subsequent pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to this
Registration Statement, and to file the same, or cause to be filed the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and
agent full power to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that any said attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

NAME AND CAPACITY                                       DATE
-----------------                                       ----

/s/ William J. McGinley                                 March 31, 1998
--------------------------                    
William J. McGinley
President, Chairman and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

                                     II-4
/s/ Kevin J. Hayes                                      March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
Kevin J. Hayes, Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer, Assistant Secretary
and Director (Principal Financial and       
Accounting Officer)                         
                                            
                                            
/s/ Michael g. Andre                                    March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
Michael G. Andre, Senior Executive          
Vice President and Director                 
                                            
                                            
/s/ John R. Cannon                                      March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
John R. Cannon, Senior Executive            
Vice President and Director                 
                                            
                                            
                                                        March __, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
William C. Croft, Director                  
                                            
                                            
/s/ James W. McGinley                                   March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
James W. McGinley, President, Optical       
Interconnect Products, and Director         
                                            
                                            
                                                        March __, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
Raymond J. Roberts, Director                
                                            
                                            
                                                        March __, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
George C. Wright, Director                  
                                            
                                            
/s/ James W. Ashley, Jr.                                March 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------                          
James W. Ashley, Jr., Secretary and         
Director                                     

                                     II-5
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.    Description
----------     -----------
             
4.1            Article Fourth of the Company's Restated Certificate of
               Incorporation, as amended(1)
               
4.2            Specimen Certificate of Class A Common Stock(2)                  
                                                                                
4.3            Methode Electronics, Inc. Electronic Controls Division Cash and
               Class A Common Stock Bonus Plan, as amended (filed herewith)

5              Opinion of Lord, Bissell & Brook (filed herewith)                
                                                                                
23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (filed herewith)                    
                                                                                
23.2           Consent of Lord, Bissell & Brook (included in Exhibit 5          
               above)                                                           
                                                                                
24             Power of Attorney (included on signature page)                   

---------------------

(1)  Exhibit is incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-8, relating to the Company's 1997 Stock Plan filed as 
     of the date hereof.

(2)  Exhibit is incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-3, Registration No. 33-61940.

(3)  Exhibit is incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 33-88036.

                                     II-6