SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                      Washington, D.C. 20549

                           Schedule 13G


            Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                       (Amendment No. 2 )*


                         H&R BLOCK, INC.
             _______________________________________
                         (Name of Issuer)


                           Common Stock
             _______________________________________
                  (Title of Class of Securities)


                            093671105
             _______________________________________
                          (CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this
statement ____.  (A fee is not required only if the filing
person: (1) has a previous statement on file reporting beneficial
ownership of more than five percent of the class of securities
described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of
such class.)  (See Rule 13d-7.)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a
reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to
the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment
containing information which would alter the disclosures provided
in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page
shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise
subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall
be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

                 (Continued on following page(s))

                        Page 1 of 5 Pages

CUSIP NO. 093671105            13G       Page 2 of 5 Pages

1   Name of Reporting Person
    S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person

    T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.
    52-0556948

2   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group*

                                                      (a) ____
    NOT APPLICABLE                                    (b) ____

3   SEC Use Only

    ______________________________

4   Citizenship or Place of Organization

    MARYLAND

Number of     5  Sole Voting Power
    **
Shares           742,695

Beneficially  6  Shared Voting Power
    **
Owned By Each    -0-

Reporting     7  Sole Dispositive Power
    **
Person           4,818,716

With          8  Shared Dispositive Power

                 -0-

9   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

    4,818,716

10  Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
    Shares*

    NOT APPLICABLE

11  Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9

    4.9%

12  Type of Reporting Person*

    IA
               *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
         **Any shares reported in Items 5 and 6 are also
                       reported in Item 7.

SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 3 OF 5

Item 1(a)       Name of Issuer:

                Reference is made to page 1 of this Schedule 13G

Item 1(b)       Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

                4410 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111

Item 2(a)       Name of Person(s) Filing:

                (1)  T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. ("Price
                     Associates")

                (2)  ___________________________________

_____           Attached as Exhibit A is a copy of an agreement between
                the Persons Filing (as specified hereinabove) that this
                Schedule 13G is being filed on behalf of each of them.

Item 2(b)       Address of Principal Business Office:

                100 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Item 2(c)       Citizenship or Place of Organization:

                (1)  Maryland

                (2)  ___________________________________

Item 2(d)       Title of Class of Securities:

                Reference is made to page 1 of this Schedule 13G

Item 2(e)       CUSIP Number: 093671105

Item 3          The person filing this Schedule 13G is an:

  X             Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
                Investment Advisers Act of 1940

_____           Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
                Investment Company Act of 1940

Item 4          Reference is made to Items 5-11 on page 2 of this
                Schedule 13G.

SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 4 OF 5

Item 5  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

_____   Not Applicable.

  X     This statement is being filed to report the fact that, as
        of the date of this report, the reporting person(s) has
        (have) ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five
        percent of the class of securities.

Item 6  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
        Person

        (1)     Price Associates does not serve as custodian of the
                assets of any of its clients; accordingly, in each
                instance only the client or the client's custodian or
                trustee bank has the right to receive dividends paid
                with respect to, and proceeds from the sale of, such
                securities.

                The ultimate power to direct the receipt of dividends
                paid with respect to, and the proceeds from the sale
                of, such securities, is vested in the individual and
                institutional clients which Price Associates serves as
                investment adviser.  Any and all discretionary
                authority which has been delegated to Price Associates
                may be revoked in whole or in part at any time.

                Except as may be indicated if this is a joint filing
                with one of the registered investment companies
                sponsored by Price Associates which it also serves as
                investment adviser ("T. Rowe Price Funds"), not more
                than 5% of the class of such securities is owned by
                any one client subject to the investment advice of
                Price Associates.

          (2)   With respect to securities owned by any one of the T.
                Rowe Price Funds, only State Street Bank and Trust
                Company, as custodian for each of such Funds, has the
                right to receive dividends paid with respect to, and
                proceeds from the sale of, such securities.  No other
                person is known to have such right, except that the
                shareholders of each such Fund participate
                proportionately in any dividends and distributions so
                paid.

Item 7    Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
          Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent
          Holding Company.

          Not Applicable.

Item 8    Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

          Not Applicable.

SCHEDULE 13G
PAGE 5 OF 5

Item 9  Notice of Dissolution of Group.

        Not Applicable.

Item 10 Certification.

        By signing below I (we) certify that, to the best of my
        (our) knowledge and belief, the securities referred to
        above were acquired in the ordinary course of business
        and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have
        the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
        issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
        connection with or as a participant in any transaction
        having such purpose or effect.  T. Rowe Price
        Associates, Inc. hereby declares and affirms that the
        filing of this Schedule 13G shall not be construed as an
        admission that Price Associates is the beneficial owner
        of the securities referred to, which beneficial
        ownership is expressly denied.

                            Signature.

        After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my (our)
        knowledge and belief, I (we) certify that the
        information set forth in this statement is true,
        complete and correct.

        Dated:  February 12, 1999


        T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES, INC.



        By:  /s/ Henry H. Hopkins
             Henry H. Hopkins, Managing Director




Note:   This Schedule 13G, including all exhibits, must be filed
        with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and a copy
        hereof must be sent to the issuer by registered or
        certified mail not later than February 14th following
        the calendar year covered by the statement or within the
        time specified in Rule 13d-1(b)(2), if applicable.

12/31/1998