ARIEL GROWTH FUND
NSAR-A, 1997-05-29
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<PAGE>      PAGE  1
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SIGNATURE   JON KIEKHOFER                                
TITLE       FINANCIAL ANALYST   
 


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000798365
<NAME> ARIEL GROWTH FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 1
   <NAME> ARIEL GROWTH FUND
       
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<INTEREST-INCOME>                               83,296
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (760,135)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        161,183
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     4,196,568
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    8,697,059
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       13,054,810
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                   (6,352,876)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      4,140,392
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                (4,168,070)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            184,856
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      11,249,911
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    6,350,947
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          387,155
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                760,135
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                       119,416,435
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            30.58
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .04
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           3.46
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.78)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              32.30
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.28
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000798365
<NAME> ARIEL GROWTH FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 2
   <NAME> ARIEL APPRECIATION FUND
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       96,553,767
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     145,538,549
<RECEIVABLES>                                  224,524
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  88,361
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             145,851,434
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       903,809
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      274,739
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          1,178,548
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    89,466,066
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        5,569,323
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        5,428,331
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       28,330
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      6,193,708
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                    48,984,782
<NET-ASSETS>                               144,672,886
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              917,088
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              101,314
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (975,049)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         43,353
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     7,402,212
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    5,672,546
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       13,118,111
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    (397,468)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                   (7,316,330)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        701,640
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (829,514)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            268,866
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       9,045,680
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                        382,445
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    6,107,826
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          540,158
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                976,132
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                       144,539,590
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            24.99
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .01
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           2.42
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.07)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.37)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              25.98
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.36
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000798365
<NAME> ARIEL GROWTH FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> ARIEL PREMIER BOND FUND
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       59,817,785
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      58,890,846
<RECEIVABLES>                                  504,274
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                               976
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              59,396,096
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      845,596
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            845,596
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    59,668,514
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        5,887,162
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        1,544,997
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        4,051
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      (195,126)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     (926,939)
<NET-ASSETS>                                58,550,500
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,273,182
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (87,115)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,186,067
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (163,724)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (938,717)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                           83,626
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (1,186,080)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      (93,776)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      4,286,676
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (11,765)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             67,254
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      43,183,880
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          4,064
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       62,374
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           87,111
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 87,115
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        39,207,895
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             9.95
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .22
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                            .01
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.02)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        (.22)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               9.94
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .45
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000798365
<NAME> ARIEL GROWTH FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 4
   <NAME> ARIEL PREMIER BOND FUND
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       59,817,785
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      58,890,846
<RECEIVABLES>                                  504,274
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                               976
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              59,396,096
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      845,596
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            845,596
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    59,668,514
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                            1,707
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        4,051
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      (195,126)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     (926,939)
<NET-ASSETS>                                58,550,500
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,273,182
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (87,115)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,186,067
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (163,724)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (938,717)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                           83,626
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (1,186,080)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      (93,776)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                          1,982
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                      (275)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      43,183,880
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          4,064
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       62,374
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           87,111
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 87,115
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        39,207,895
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            10.10
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .09
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.16)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        (.09)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               9.94
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .85
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>


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