OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION
                             Washington, D.C. 20552
                            -----------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)--October 16, 1997

                                Peoples Bancorp
                                ---------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

United States                          4091                     35-1811284
----------------------------        -----------              ----------------
(State or other jurisdiction        (OTS Docket              (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation                       No.)                Identification Number

212 West 7th Street Auburn, Indiana                                     46706
---------------------------------------                               ----------
(Address of principal executive offices                               (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:               (219) 925-2500

                                      N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

<PAGE>

Item 5.   Other Events
          ------------

                      PEOPLES BANCORP ANNOUNCES STOCK SPLIT

(AUBURN) -- The Board of Directors of Peoples Bancorp  declared a stock split in
the form of a stock  dividend.  One  additional  share of common  stock  will be
issued for each two outstanding shares to stockholders of record at the close of
business on November 7, 1997 and  distributed  on or about  November  24,  1997.
There are currently  2,261,324  shares  outstanding  and upon  completion of the
stock split there will be approximately 3,391,986 common shares outstanding.

Chairman Roger J. Wetenberger indicated, "the board of directors is very pleased
with the sucess of Peoples  Federal  and the  performance  of Peoples  Bancorp's
stock.  We feel the stock  dividend  will  provide  the market  with  additional
liquidity and lower the spread on our stock."

Chairman  Wertenberger  stated  that  the  full  annual  report  will be sent to
stockholders in December and that the Annual  Stockholders  Meeting will be held
on January 14, 1998.

Peoples Bancorp,  through its wholly owned  subsidiary,  Peoples Federal Savings
Bank,  operates six full service  offices  located in Auburn,  Avilla,  Columbia
City, Garrett,  Kendallville,  and LaGrange, Indiana. As of Tuesday, October 14,
1997, the closing price for Peoples Bancorp stock was $33.125 per share. Peoples
Bancorp is traded on the NASDAQ under the trading symbol PFDC.

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the 
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                                        PEOPLES BANCORP
                                                        ---------------
                                                         (Registrant)

Date:  October 16, 1997                         Maurice F. Winkler III
                                         President and Chief Operating Officer

Date:  October 16, 1997                         Deborah K. Stanger
                                      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K FILING-NOTICE OF STOCK DIVIDEND", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3638}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PEOPLES BANCORP", "cik": "0000869004", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "351811284", "state-of-incorporation": "IN", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-18991", "film-number": "97696389"}, "business-address": {"street1": "212 WEST 7TH ST", "city": "AUBURN", "state": "IN", "zip": "46706", "phone": "2199252500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "212 WEST SEVENTH ST", "city": "AUBURN", "state": "IN", "zip": "46706"}}
OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION
                             Washington, D.C. 20552
                            -----------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)--October 16, 1997

                                Peoples Bancorp
                                ---------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

United States                          4091                     35-1811284
----------------------------        -----------              ----------------
(State or other jurisdiction        (OTS Docket              (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation                       No.)                Identification Number

212 West 7th Street Auburn, Indiana                                     46706
---------------------------------------                               ----------
(Address of principal executive offices                               (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:               (219) 925-2500

                                      N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Item 5.   Other Events
          ------------

                      PEOPLES BANCORP ANNOUNCES STOCK SPLIT

(AUBURN) -- The Board of Directors of Peoples Bancorp  declared a stock split in
the form of a stock  dividend.  One  additional  share of common  stock  will be
issued for each two outstanding shares to stockholders of record at the close of
business on November 7, 1997 and  distributed  on or about  November  24,  1997.
There are currently  2,261,324  shares  outstanding  and upon  completion of the
stock split there will be approximately 3,391,986 common shares outstanding.

Chairman Roger J. Wetenberger indicated, "the board of directors is very pleased
with the sucess of Peoples  Federal  and the  performance  of Peoples  Bancorp's
stock.  We feel the stock  dividend  will  provide  the market  with  additional
liquidity and lower the spread on our stock."

Chairman  Wertenberger  stated  that  the  full  annual  report  will be sent to
stockholders in December and that the Annual  Stockholders  Meeting will be held
on January 14, 1998.

Peoples Bancorp,  through its wholly owned  subsidiary,  Peoples Federal Savings
Bank,  operates six full service  offices  located in Auburn,  Avilla,  Columbia
City, Garrett,  Kendallville,  and LaGrange, Indiana. As of Tuesday, October 14,
1997, the closing price for Peoples Bancorp stock was $33.125 per share. Peoples
Bancorp is traded on the NASDAQ under the trading symbol PFDC.
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the 
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                                        PEOPLES BANCORP
                                                        ---------------
                                                         (Registrant)

Date:  October 16, 1997                         Maurice F. Winkler III
                                         President and Chief Operating Officer

Date:  October 16, 1997                         Deborah K. Stanger
                                      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer