<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 12/31/96
000 C000000 799199
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 THE RODNEY SQUARE MULTI-MANAGER FUND
001 B000000 811-4808
001 C000000 3026518280
002 A000000 RODNEY SQUARE NORTH, 1100 N. MARKET ST.
002 B000000 WILMINGTON
002 C000000 DE
002 D010000 19890
002 D020000 0001
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 1
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 GROWTH PORTFOLIO
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C020200 GROWTH AND INCOME PORTFOLIO
007 C030200 Y
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
010 A00AA01 RODNEY SQUARE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
010 B00AA01 801-22071
010 C01AA01 WILMINGTON
010 C02AA01 DE
010 C03AA01 19890
010 C04AA01 0001
011 A00AA01 RODNEY SQUARE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-37006
011 C01AA01 WILMINGTON
011 C02AA01 DE
011 C03AA01 19890
011 C04AA01 0001
012 A00AA01 RODNEY SQUARE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
012 B00AA01 85-00761
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 C01AA01 WILMINGTON
012 C02AA01 DE
012 C03AA01 19890
012 C04AA01 0001
013 A00AA01 ERNST & YOUNG, LLP
013 B01AA01 BALTIMORE
013 B02AA01 MD
013 B03AA01 21201
014 A00AA01 WILMINGTON BROKERAGE SERVICES, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-31441
015 A00AA01 WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 WILMINGTON
015 C02AA01 DE
015 C03AA01 19890
015 C04AA01 0001
015 E03AA01 X
018 00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 6
019 C00AA00 RODNEYSQUA
020 A000001 LIPPER ANALYTICAL SECURITIES CORP.
020 B000001 13-2792478
020 C000001 21
020 A000002 O'NEIL (WILLIAM) & CO. INC.
020 B000002 95-2269163
020 C000002 3
020 A000003 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON INC.
020 B000003 13-1912900
020 C000003 3
020 A000004 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SEC., CORP.
020 B000004 13-2741729
020 C000004 3
020 A000005 INSTINET CORPORATION
020 B000005 13-3443395
020 C000005 2
020 A000006 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
020 B000006 13-5108880
020 C000006 2
020 A000007 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
020 B000007 22-2347336
020 C000007 2
020 A000008 LEWCO SECURITIES CORP.
020 C000008 2
020 A000009 SK INTERNATIONAL SECURITIES CORP.
020 B000009 11-2471620
020 C000009 2
020 A000010 BERSTEIN (SANFORD C.) & CO., INC.
020 B000010 13-2625874
020 C000010 2
021 000000 60
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 A000001 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
022 B000001 13-5659485
022 C000001 394102
022 D000001 72
022 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.NNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000002 13-2655998
022 C000002 1349
022 D000002 1742
022 A000003 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
022 B000003 13-5674085
022 C000003 1317
022 D000003 929
022 A000004 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SEC. CORP.
022 B000004 13-2741729
022 C000004 1145
022 D000004 809
022 A000005 BAIRD (ROBERT W.) & CO. INC.
022 C000005 140
022 D000005 1209
022 A000006 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON INC.
022 B000006 13-1912900
022 C000006 1190
022 D000006 159
022 A000007 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000007 13-5108880
022 C000007 837
022 D000007 311
022 A000008 BROWN (ALEX) & SONS INC.
022 B000008 52-1319768
022 C000008 606
022 D000008 532
022 A000009 JEFFERIES & COMPANY, INC.
022 B000009 95-2622900
022 C000009 43
022 D000009 816
022 A000010 BEAR, STERNS & CO. INC.
022 B000010 13-3299429
022 C000010 171
022 D000010 678
023 C000000 405104
023 D000000 10865
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 4
029 00AA00 Y
030 A00AA00 34
030 B00AA00 4.00
030 C00AA00 0.00
031 A00AA00 28
031 B00AA00 0
032 00AA00 0
033 00AA00 6
034 00AA00 N
035 00AA00 0
036 B00AA00 0
037 00AA00 N
038 00AA00 0
039 00AA00 N
040 00AA00 Y
041 00AA00 Y
045 00AA00 Y
046 00AA00 N
047 00AA00 Y
048 00AA00 0.000
048 A01AA00 200000
048 A02AA00 1.000
048 B01AA00 0
048 B02AA00 0.000
048 C01AA00 0
048 C02AA00 0.000
048 D01AA00 0
048 D02AA00 0.000
048 E01AA00 0
048 E02AA00 0.000
048 F01AA00 0
048 F02AA00 0.000
048 G01AA00 0
048 G02AA00 0.000
048 H01AA00 0
048 H02AA00 0.000
048 I01AA00 0
048 I02AA00 0.000
048 J01AA00 0
048 J02AA00 0.000
048 K01AA00 200000
048 K02AA00 0.950
049 00AA00 N
050 00AA00 N
051 00AA00 N
052 00AA00 N
053 A00AA00 Y
053 B00AA00 Y
053 C00AA00 N
054 A00AA00 Y
054 B00AA00 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 5
054 C00AA00 N
054 D00AA00 N
054 E00AA00 N
054 F00AA00 N
054 G00AA00 Y
054 H00AA00 Y
054 I00AA00 N
054 J00AA00 Y
054 K00AA00 Y
054 L00AA00 N
054 M00AA00 Y
054 N00AA00 Y
054 O00AA00 Y
055 A00AA00 N
055 B00AA00 N
056 00AA00 Y
057 00AA00 N
058 A00AA00 N
058 B00AA00 N
058 C00AA00 N
058 D00AA00 N
058 E00AA00 N
059 00AA00 Y
060 A00AA00 Y
060 B00AA00 Y
061 00AA00 1000
063 A00AA00 0
063 B00AA00 0.0
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 Q010000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A00AA00 ST PAUL MERCURY INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C00AA00 50000
081 A00AA00 Y
081 B00AA00 6
082 A00AA00 N
082 B00AA00 0
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00 0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00 0
085 A00AA00 Y
085 B00AA00 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
008 A000101 RODNEY SQUARE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
008 B000101 A
008 C000101 801-22071
008 D010101 WILMINGTON
008 D020101 DE
008 D030101 19890
008 D040101 0001
008 A000102 FRONTIER CAPITAL MANAGMENT CO., INC.
008 B000102 S
008 C000102 801-15724
008 D010102 BOSTON
008 D020102 MA
008 D030102 02110
008 A000103 WILLIAM BLAIR & COMPANY, L.L.C.
008 B000103 S
008 C000103 801-00688
008 D010103 CHICAGO
008 D020103 IL
008 D030103 60603
024 000100 Y
025 A000101 ALEX BROWN, INC.
025 B000101 52-1319768
025 C000101 E
025 D000101 921
025 A000102 DELETE
025 D000102 0
025 D000103 0
025 D000104 0
025 D000105 0
025 D000106 0
025 D000107 0
025 D000108 0
025 D000109 0
025 D000110 0
025 D000111 0
025 D000112 0
025 D000113 0
025 D000114 0
025 D000115 0
025 D000116 0
028 A010100 396
028 A020100 0
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 405
028 B010100 234
028 B020100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 7
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 827
028 C010100 118
028 C020100 0
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 381
028 D010100 238
028 D020100 0
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 512
028 E010100 147
028 E020100 0
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 207
028 F010100 290
028 F020100 7522
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 265
028 G010100 1423
028 G020100 7522
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 2597
028 H000100 1423
042 A000100 17
042 B000100 4
042 C000100 0
042 D000100 79
042 E000100 0
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 0
042 H000100 0
043 000100 17
044 000100 0
062 A000100 N
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 0.0
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 0.0
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 0.0
062 M000100 0.0
062 N000100 0.0
062 O000100 0.0
062 P000100 0.0
062 Q000100 0.0
062 R000100 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 8
066 A000100 Y
066 B000100 N
066 C000100 Y
066 D000100 N
066 E000100 N
066 F000100 N
066 G000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 Y
070 B010100 Y
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 Y
070 C020100 N
070 D010100 Y
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 N
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 N
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 N
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
070 J020100 N
070 K010100 Y
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 N
070 L020100 N
070 M010100 N
070 M020100 N
070 N010100 Y
070 N020100 N
070 O010100 Y
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 Y
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 N
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 24124
071 B000100 27640
071 C000100 69241
071 D000100 35
<PAGE> PAGE 9
072 A000100 12
072 B000100 85
072 C000100 371
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 706
072 G000100 64
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 15
072 J000100 34
072 K000100 0
072 L000100 20
072 M000100 5
072 N000100 12
072 O000100 0
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 45
072 R000100 36
072 S000100 39
072 T000100 17
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 14
072 X000100 1007
072 Y000100 0
072 Z000100 -551
072AA000100 9091
072BB000100 0
072CC010100 6816
072CC020100 0
072DD010100 0
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 8584
073 A010100 0.0000
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 2.4100
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 0
074 B000100 106
074 C000100 0
074 D000100 0
074 E000100 0
074 F000100 76171
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 0
074 K000100 0
074 L000100 101
074 M000100 0
074 N000100 76378
<PAGE> PAGE 10
074 O000100 61
074 P000100 64
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 79
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 76174
074 U010100 3964
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 19.22
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 442
074 Y000100 0
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 70632
076 000100 0.00
008 A000201 RODNEY SQUARE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
008 B000201 A
008 C000201 801-22071
008 D010201 WILMINGTON
008 D020201 DE
008 D030201 19890
008 D040201 0001
008 A000202 WEDGE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L.L.P
008 B000202 S
008 C000202 801-29479
008 D010202 CHARLOTTE
008 D020202 NC
008 D030202 28202
008 D040202 6002
008 A000203 SIRACH CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000203 S
008 C000203 801-33477
008 D010203 SEATTLE
008 D020203 WA
008 D030203 98101
008 D040203 3142
024 000200 N
025 D000201 0
025 D000202 0
025 D000203 0
025 D000204 0
025 D000205 0
025 D000206 0
025 D000207 0
025 D000208 0
028 A010200 6
028 A020200 0
<PAGE> PAGE 11
028 A030200 0
028 A040200 149
028 B010200 276
028 B020200 0
028 B030200 0
028 B040200 102
028 C010200 76
028 C020200 13
028 C030200 0
028 C040200 101
028 D010200 49
028 D020200 0
028 D030200 0
028 D040200 92
028 E010200 14
028 E020200 0
028 E030200 0
028 E040200 710
028 F010200 0
028 F020200 0
028 F030200 0
028 F040200 5461
028 G010200 421
028 G020200 13
028 G030200 0
028 G040200 6615
028 H000200 421
042 A000200 0
042 B000200 0
042 C000200 0
042 D000200 100
042 E000200 0
042 F000200 0
042 G000200 0
042 H000200 0
043 000200 1
044 000200 0
062 A000200 N
062 B000200 0.0
062 C000200 0.0
062 D000200 0.0
062 E000200 0.0
062 F000200 0.0
062 G000200 0.0
062 H000200 0.0
062 I000200 0.0
062 J000200 0.0
062 K000200 0.0
062 L000200 0.0
062 M000200 0.0
062 N000200 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 12
062 O000200 0.0
062 P000200 0.0
062 Q000200 0.0
062 R000200 0.0
066 A000200 Y
066 B000200 N
066 C000200 N
066 D000200 N
066 E000200 N
066 F000200 N
066 G000200 Y
067 000200 N
068 A000200 N
068 B000200 N
069 000200 N
070 A010200 Y
070 A020200 Y
070 B010200 Y
070 B020200 N
070 C010200 Y
070 C020200 N
070 D010200 Y
070 D020200 N
070 E010200 N
070 E020200 N
070 F010200 N
070 F020200 N
070 G010200 N
070 G020200 N
070 H010200 N
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 N
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 N
070 K010200 Y
070 K020200 N
070 L010200 N
070 L020200 N
070 M010200 N
070 M020200 N
070 N010200 Y
070 N020200 N
070 O010200 Y
070 O020200 N
070 P010200 Y
070 P020200 N
070 Q010200 N
070 Q020200 N
070 R010200 N
070 R020200 N
<PAGE> PAGE 13
071 A000200 1807
071 B000200 2155
071 C000200 5928
071 D000200 30
072 A000200 6
072 B000200 43
072 C000200 46
072 D000200 0
072 E000200 0
072 F000200 35
072 G000200 3
072 H000200 0
072 I000200 6
072 J000200 14
072 K000200 0
072 L000200 0
072 M000200 3
072 N000200 5
072 O000200 0
072 P000200 0
072 Q000200 21
072 R000200 1
072 S000200 4
072 T000200 1
072 U000200 0
072 V000200 0
072 W000200 0
072 X000200 93
072 Y000200 41
072 Z000200 37
072AA000200 1695
072BB000200 0
072CC010200 0
072CC020200 1116
072DD010200 15
072DD020200 0
072EE000200 0
073 A010200 0.0200
073 A020200 0.0000
073 B000200 0.0000
073 C000200 0.0000
074 A000200 0
074 B000200 0
074 C000200 0
074 D000200 0
074 E000200 0
074 F000200 0
074 G000200 0
074 H000200 0
074 I000200 0
074 J000200 0
<PAGE> PAGE 14
074 K000200 0
074 L000200 0
074 M000200 0
074 N000200 0
074 O000200 0
074 P000200 0
074 Q000200 0
074 R010200 0
074 R020200 0
074 R030200 0
074 R040200 0
074 S000200 0
074 T000200 0
074 U010200 0
074 U020200 0
074 V010200 0.00
074 V020200 0.00
074 W000200 0.0000
074 X000200 0
074 Y000200 0
075 A000200 0
075 B000200 7304
076 000200 0.00
SIGNATURE JOHN KELLEY
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
this schedule contains summary information extracted from the rodney
square multi-manager fund's annual report dated december 31, 1996 and is
qualified in it's entirety by reference to the annual report dated
december 31, 1996.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000799199
<NAME> THE RODNEY SQUARE MULTI-MANAGER FUND
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> GROWTH PORTFOLIO
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 47809
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 76277
<RECEIVABLES> 101
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 76378
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 61
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 143
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 204
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 47707
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 3964
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 3808
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (1)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 28468
<NET-ASSETS> 76174
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 371
<INTEREST-INCOME> 85
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (1007)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (551)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 9091
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 6816
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 15356
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 8584
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 3187
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 7618
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 7522
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 9863
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (338)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 3
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 706
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1007
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 70632
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 17.41
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.15)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 4.37
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (2.41)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 19.22
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.43
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
