As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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

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

    Incorporated          THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY        I.R.S. Employer
  Under the Laws                600 ALBANY STREET             Identification No.
        of Ohio                DAYTON, OHIO 45401                 31-0455440
                                 (513) 443-1000

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

               THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN

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

                              Gary P. Kreider, Esq.
                           Keating, Muething & Klekamp
                             One East Fourth Street
                             Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
                                 (513) 579-6411
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Agent for Service of Process)


                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Proposed        Proposed  
                                      Maximum         Maximum
    Title of           Amount        Offering        Aggregate     Amount of
   Securities           To Be          Price         Offering    Registration
To Be Registered    Registered(1)   Per Unit(2)      Price(2)       Fee(3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,         2,000,000       $35.375       $70,750,000   $20,872
par value $1.00       Shares     
per share                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1)     This  Registration  Statement is filed for up to 2,000,000 shares of the
        common  stock,  $1.00 par  value per  share,  of The  Standard  Register
        Company  issuable  in  connection  with The  Standard  Register  Company
        Employee Savings Plan.

(2)     Estimated solely for purposes of calculating registration fee.

(3)     Registration fee has been calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h).



<PAGE>



                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The  following  documents  filed  by The  Standard  Register  Company  (the
"Company") with the Securities and Exchange  Commission are incorporated  herein
by reference and made a part hereof:

     1.   The  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal  year ended
          December 28, 1997; and

     2.   The  description  of the Common Stock  contained on the Company's Form
          8-A Registration  Statement under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934
          effective May 13, 1996.

     All reports and other documents  filed by the Company  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a  post-effective  amendment  which  indicates  that all Common  Stock
offered  has been sold or which  deregisters  all Common  Stock  then  remaining
unsold,  shall be deemed to be  incorporated  by reference in this  Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents.


ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     None required.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     The legality of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by Keating,  Muething & Klekamp,  P.L.L., 1800 Provident Tower, One East
Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Section   1701.13(E)   of  the  Ohio   General   Corporation   Law   allows
indemnification  by the Registrant to any person made or threatened to be made a
party to any  proceedings,  other  than a  proceeding  by or in the right of the
Registrant, by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the Registrant,  against expenses,  including judgments and
fines, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably  believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the  Registrant  and, with respect
to criminal actions, in which the person had no reasonable cause to believe that
the person's conduct was unlawful.  Similar  provisions apply to actions brought
by or in the right of the Registrant,  except that, unless otherwise  determined



<PAGE>



by the  court,  no  indemnification  shall be made in such cases when the person
shall  have been  adjudged  to be liable for  negligence  or  misconduct  to the
Registrant.  The right to indemnification is mandatory in the case of a director
or  officer  who is  successful  on the  merits or  otherwise  in defense of any
action,  suit or proceeding  or any claim or issue,  or who is successful on the
merits or otherwise in defense of any action,  suit or  proceeding or any claim,
issue or matter therein.  Permissive indemnification is to be made by a court of
competent  jurisdiction,   the  majority  vote  of  a  quorum  of  disinterested
directors, the written opinion of independent counsel or by the shareholders.

     The  Registrant's  Code of Regulations  provides that the Registrant  shall
indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by law.

     The Registrant  maintains  director and officer  liability  insurance which
provides coverage against certain liabilities.


ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable.


ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS

        5             Opinion of Counsel.

        23.1          Consent of Counsel (contained on Exhibit 5).

        23.2          Consent of Battelle & Battelle LLP

        24            Power of Attorney (contained on the signature page).


ITEM 9    UNDERTAKINGS

     9.1 The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes 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;

          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.



<PAGE>



               Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of  securities  offered (if the total dollar value of  securities
               offered  would not  exceed  that  which was  registered)  and any
               deviation  from  the low or  high  end of the  estimated  maximum
               offering  range may be reflected in the form of prospectus  filed
               with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
               the  changes  in volume  and price  represent  no more than a 20%
               change in the maximum  aggregate  offering price set forth in the
               "Calculation  of   Registration   Fee"  table  in  the  effective
               registration statement.

         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;

     9.2 The undersigned  Registrant  hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of
determining   any  liability  under  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  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.

     9.3  The   undersigned   Registrant   hereby   undertakes  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.

     9.4 The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934  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.

     9.5 Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 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  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.



<PAGE>




                                   SIGNATURES



     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 Dayton, Ohio, on April 27, 1998.

                                         THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY



                                          BY:    /s/ Peter S. Redding
                                             -----------------------------------
                                               Peter S. Redding
                                               President, Chief Executive
                                               Officer and Director

     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.  Persons whose names are marked with an
asterisk (*) below hereby  designate Paul H. Granzow,  Peter S. Redding or Craig
J.  Brown  as  their   attorney-in-fact   to  sign  all  amendments,   including
post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement.


     Signature                     Capacity                           Date
     ---------                     --------                           ----


*/s/Peter S. Redding          
-------------------------     President, Chief Executive       April 27, 1998
Peter S. Redding              Officer and Director        
                              (Principal                  
                              Executive Officer)          
                              

*/s/Craig J. Brown
-------------------------     Senior Vice President -          April 27, 1998
Craig J. Brown                Administration, Treasurer     
                              and Chief Financial Officer   
                              (Principal Financial Officer  
                              and Principal Accounting      
                              Officer)                      
                              



<PAGE>


     Signature                     Capacity                           Date
     ---------                     --------                           ----


*/s/Paul H. Granzow            
-------------------------      Chairman of the Board of        April 27, 1998
Paul H. Granzow                Directors


*/s/Roy W. Begley, Jr.   
-------------------------      Director                        April 27, 1998
Roy W. Begley, Jr.


*/s/F. David Clarke, III       
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
F. David Clarke, III


*/s/Graeme G. Keeping          
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Graeme G. Keeping


*/s/Dennis L. Rediker          
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Dennis L. Rediker


*/s/Ann Scavullo               
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Ann Scavullo


*/s/John J. Schiff, Jr.        
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
John J. Schiff, Jr.


*/s/Charles F. Sherman         
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Charles F. Sherman


*/s/John Q. Sherman, II        
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
John Q. Sherman, II


<PAGE>



     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Act, the trustee has duly
caused  this  registration   statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Dayton, State of Ohio, on
April 27, 1998.

                                             THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY


                                             By:  /s/ Kathryn A. Lamme
                                                -------------------------------
                                                 Kathryn A. Lamme

                                                 Its:  Corporate Vice President,
                                                       Secretary and Deputy 
                                                       General Counsel
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "S-8 FOR STANDARD REGISTER EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN", "secsgml_size_bytes": 14916}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "STANDARD REGISTER CO", "cik": "0000093456", "assigned-sic": "2761", "irs-number": "310455440", "state-of-incorporation": "OH", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-51181", "film-number": "98602886"}, "business-address": {"street1": "600 ALBANY ST", "city": "DAYTON", "state": "OH", "zip": "45401", "phone": "5134341000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "600 ALBANY STREET", "street2": "P O BOX 1167", "city": "DAYTON", "state": "OH", "zip": "45401-1167"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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

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

    Incorporated          THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY        I.R.S. Employer
  Under the Laws                600 ALBANY STREET             Identification No.
        of Ohio                DAYTON, OHIO 45401                 31-0455440
                                 (513) 443-1000

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

               THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN

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

                              Gary P. Kreider, Esq.
                           Keating, Muething & Klekamp
                             One East Fourth Street
                             Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
                                 (513) 579-6411
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Agent for Service of Process)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Proposed        Proposed  
                                      Maximum         Maximum
    Title of           Amount        Offering        Aggregate     Amount of
   Securities           To Be          Price         Offering    Registration
To Be Registered    Registered(1)   Per Unit(2)      Price(2)       Fee(3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,         2,000,000       $35.375       $70,750,000   $20,872
par value $1.00       Shares     
per share                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1)     This  Registration  Statement is filed for up to 2,000,000 shares of the
        common  stock,  $1.00 par  value per  share,  of The  Standard  Register
        Company  issuable  in  connection  with The  Standard  Register  Company
        Employee Savings Plan.

(2)     Estimated solely for purposes of calculating registration fee.

(3)     Registration fee has been calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h).
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The  following  documents  filed  by The  Standard  Register  Company  (the
"Company") with the Securities and Exchange  Commission are incorporated  herein
by reference and made a part hereof:

     1.   The  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal  year ended
          December 28, 1997; and

     2.   The  description  of the Common Stock  contained on the Company's Form
          8-A Registration  Statement under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934
          effective May 13, 1996.

     All reports and other documents  filed by the Company  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a  post-effective  amendment  which  indicates  that all Common  Stock
offered  has been sold or which  deregisters  all Common  Stock  then  remaining
unsold,  shall be deemed to be  incorporated  by reference in this  Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents.

ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     None required.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     The legality of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by Keating,  Muething & Klekamp,  P.L.L., 1800 Provident Tower, One East
Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Section   1701.13(E)   of  the  Ohio   General   Corporation   Law   allows
indemnification  by the Registrant to any person made or threatened to be made a
party to any  proceedings,  other  than a  proceeding  by or in the right of the
Registrant, by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the Registrant,  against expenses,  including judgments and
fines, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably  believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the  Registrant  and, with respect
to criminal actions, in which the person had no reasonable cause to believe that
the person's conduct was unlawful.  Similar  provisions apply to actions brought
by or in the right of the Registrant,  except that, unless otherwise  determined
by the  court,  no  indemnification  shall be made in such cases when the person
shall  have been  adjudged  to be liable for  negligence  or  misconduct  to the
Registrant.  The right to indemnification is mandatory in the case of a director
or  officer  who is  successful  on the  merits or  otherwise  in defense of any
action,  suit or proceeding  or any claim or issue,  or who is successful on the
merits or otherwise in defense of any action,  suit or  proceeding or any claim,
issue or matter therein.  Permissive indemnification is to be made by a court of
competent  jurisdiction,   the  majority  vote  of  a  quorum  of  disinterested
directors, the written opinion of independent counsel or by the shareholders.

     The  Registrant's  Code of Regulations  provides that the Registrant  shall
indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by law.

     The Registrant  maintains  director and officer  liability  insurance which
provides coverage against certain liabilities.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable.

ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS

        5             Opinion of Counsel.

        23.1          Consent of Counsel (contained on Exhibit 5).

        23.2          Consent of Battelle & Battelle LLP

        24            Power of Attorney (contained on the signature page).

ITEM 9    UNDERTAKINGS

     9.1 The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes 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;

          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.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of  securities  offered (if the total dollar value of  securities
               offered  would not  exceed  that  which was  registered)  and any
               deviation  from  the low or  high  end of the  estimated  maximum
               offering  range may be reflected in the form of prospectus  filed
               with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
               the  changes  in volume  and price  represent  no more than a 20%
               change in the maximum  aggregate  offering price set forth in the
               "Calculation  of   Registration   Fee"  table  in  the  effective
               registration statement.

         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;

     9.2 The undersigned  Registrant  hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of
determining   any  liability  under  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  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.

     9.3  The   undersigned   Registrant   hereby   undertakes  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.

     9.4 The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934  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.

     9.5 Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 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  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES

     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 Dayton, Ohio, on April 27, 1998.

                                         THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY

                                          BY:    /s/ Peter S. Redding
                                             -----------------------------------
                                               Peter S. Redding
                                               President, Chief Executive
                                               Officer and Director

     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.  Persons whose names are marked with an
asterisk (*) below hereby  designate Paul H. Granzow,  Peter S. Redding or Craig
J.  Brown  as  their   attorney-in-fact   to  sign  all  amendments,   including
post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement.

     Signature                     Capacity                           Date
     ---------                     --------                           ----

*/s/Peter S. Redding          
-------------------------     President, Chief Executive       April 27, 1998
Peter S. Redding              Officer and Director        
                              (Principal                  
                              Executive Officer)          
                              

*/s/Craig J. Brown
-------------------------     Senior Vice President -          April 27, 1998
Craig J. Brown                Administration, Treasurer     
                              and Chief Financial Officer   
                              (Principal Financial Officer  
                              and Principal Accounting      
                              Officer)
Signature                     Capacity                           Date
     ---------                     --------                           ----

*/s/Paul H. Granzow            
-------------------------      Chairman of the Board of        April 27, 1998
Paul H. Granzow                Directors

*/s/Roy W. Begley, Jr.   
-------------------------      Director                        April 27, 1998
Roy W. Begley, Jr.

*/s/F. David Clarke, III       
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
F. David Clarke, III

*/s/Graeme G. Keeping          
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Graeme G. Keeping

*/s/Dennis L. Rediker          
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Dennis L. Rediker

*/s/Ann Scavullo               
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Ann Scavullo

*/s/John J. Schiff, Jr.        
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
John J. Schiff, Jr.

*/s/Charles F. Sherman         
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
Charles F. Sherman

*/s/John Q. Sherman, II        
--------------------------     Director                        April 27, 1998
John Q. Sherman, II
Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Act, the trustee has duly
caused  this  registration   statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Dayton, State of Ohio, on
April 27, 1998.

                                             THE STANDARD REGISTER COMPANY

                                             By:  /s/ Kathryn A. Lamme
                                                -------------------------------
                                                 Kathryn A. Lamme

                                                 Its:  Corporate Vice President,
                                                       Secretary and Deputy 
                                                       General Counsel