MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH & EDUCATION TAX EXEMPT TRUST
DEF 14A, 1997-03-31
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                                  SCHEDULE 14A

                                 (Rule 14a-101)

                     INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

                Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant   [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant   [  ]

Check the appropriate box:
[  ] Preliminary Proxy Statement    [  ] Confidential, For Use of the Commission
                                         Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[X] Definitive Proxy Statement
[ ] Definitive Additional Materials
[ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              The Massachusetts Health & Education Tax-Exempt Trust
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X] No fee required.
[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i) (1) and 0-11.

(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange  Act Rule  0-11  (set  forth the  amount  on which  the  filing  fee is
calculated and state how it was determined):
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5) Total fee paid:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[  ]Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange  Act Rule
0-11(a)(2)  and  identify  the  filing  for  which the  offsetting  fee was paid
previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration  statement  number, or
the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

(1) Amount Previously Paid:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement no.:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Filing Party:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Date Filed:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>



              THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH & EDUCATION TAX-EXEMPT TRUST
                                24 FEDERAL STREET
                           BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02110

                                                                  March 31, 1997


Dear Shareholder:

     You are cordially  invited to attend the Annual Meeting of  Shareholders of
The Massachusetts  Health and Education Tax-Exempt Trust (the "Fund") to be held
at the principal  office of the Fund, 24 Federal Street,  Boston,  Massachusetts
02110, on Tuesday, May 20, 1997 at 1:30 P.M. (Boston time).

     This meeting will give you an  opportunity to hear a report on the Fund and
you will be asked to consider  the  election of Trustees and the approval of the
Fund's independent accountants. The enclosed proxy statement contains additional
information regarding these proposals.

     We hope that you will be able to attend  the  meeting.  Whether  or not you
plan to attend and  regardless  of the number of shares you own, it is important
that your shares be  represented.  You are urged to complete,  sign and date the
enclosed proxy card and return it in the enclosed  postage-paid envelope as soon
as possible to assure that your shares are represented at the meeting.

                                               Sincerely,

                                               /s/ Walter B. Prince

                                               Walter B. Prince
                                               Chairman


                                    IMPORTANT

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR SHARES BE REPRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL  MEETING.  WHETHER
OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL  MEETING IN PERSON,  YOU ARE  REQUESTED  TO
COMPLETE,  SIGN AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  YOU MAY
WITHDRAW  YOUR  PROXY IF YOU ATTEND  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING  AND DESIRE TO VOTE IN
PERSON.
<PAGE>


              THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH & EDUCATION TAX-EXEMPT TRUST


                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                        TO BE HELD TUESDAY, MAY 20, 1997

     The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of The Massachusetts  Health & Education
Tax-Exempt Trust, a Massachusetts  business trust (the "Fund"),  will be held at
the  principal  office of the Fund,  24 Federal  Street,  Boston,  Massachusetts
02110, on Tuesday,  May 20, 1997 at 1:30 P.M.  (Boston time),  for the following
purposes:

     1.   To elect five  Trustees  of the Fund,  two of whom shall be elected by
          the holders of the Fund's Auction  Preferred  Shares and the remainder
          of whom shall be elected by the  holders of the Fund's  Common  Shares
          and Auction Preferred Shares, voting as a single class.

     2.   To  ratify  the  selection  of  Price  Waterhouse  LLP as  independent
          accountants of the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1997.

     3.   To consider and act upon any other  matters  which may  properly  come
          before the meeting and any adjourned session thereof.

     The Board of Trustees  has fixed the close of business on March 24, 1997 as
the record date for the  determination  of the shareholders of the Fund entitled
to notice of and to vote at the meeting and any adjournments thereof.

                                    By Order of the Board of Trustees

                                    /s/ Thomas J. Fetter

                                    Thomas J. Fetter
                                    President

March 31, 1997
Boston, Massachusetts

IMPORTANT  -  SHAREHOLDERS  CAN HELP THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE FUND AVOID THE
NECESSITY AND ADDITIONAL EXPENSE TO THE FUND OF FURTHER  SOLICITATIONS TO INSURE
A QUORUM BY PROMPTLY  RETURNING  THE  ENCLOSED  PROXY.  THE  ENCLOSED  ADDRESSED
ENVELOPE  REQUIRES NO POSTAGE IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES AND IS INTENDED FOR
YOUR CONVENIENCE.
<PAGE>

              THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH & EDUCATION TAX-EXEMPT TRUST
                                24 FEDERAL STREET
                           BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02110



                                 PROXY STATEMENT


     A proxy is  enclosed  with the  foregoing  Notice of the Annual  Meeting of
Shareholders  of The  Massachusetts  Health &  Education  Tax-Exempt  Trust (the
"Fund"),  to be held May 20,  1997 for the  benefit of  shareholders  who do not
expect to be present at the  meeting.  This proxy is  solicited on behalf of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, and is revocable by the person giving it prior to
exercise by a signed  writing filed with the Fund's  Secretary,  or by executing
and  delivering a later dated proxy,  or by attending the meeting and voting the
shares in person.  Each proxy will be voted in accordance with its instructions;
if no instruction  is given,  an executed proxy will authorize the persons named
as attorneys,  or any of them, to vote in favor of each such matter.  This proxy
material is being mailed to shareholders on or about March 31, 1997.

     The Board of Trustees of the Fund has fixed the close of business March 24,
1997, as the record date for the  determination of the shareholders  entitled to
notice of and to vote at the meeting and any adjournments thereof.  Shareholders
at the close of  business  on the record  date will be  entitled to one vote for
each share held. As of March 24, 1997, there were 2,307,763 Common Shares,  $.01
par value per share ("Common Shares") and 200 Auction Preferred Shares, $.01 par
value per share,  liquidation  preference $50,000 per share ("APS"), of the Fund
outstanding.  As of such date, no shareholder beneficially owned more than 5% of
the outstanding  Common Shares or APS. The Trustees and officers of the Fund, as
a group, own beneficially less than 1% of the shares of the Fund.

     The Board of  Trustees  of the Fund  knows of no  business  other than that
mentioned in Items 1 and 2 of the Notice of Meeting  which will be presented for
consideration.  If any other matters are properly presented, it is the intention
of the persons  named as attorneys in the enclosed  proxy to vote the proxies in
accordance with their judgment on such matters.

                        PROPOSAL 1. ELECTION OF TRUSTEES

     The  enclosed  proxy,  unless  authority  to vote for election to office is
specifically  withheld by executing the proxy in the manner stated thereon, will
be used to vote in favor of the nominees  named below as Trustees of the Fund to
serve as such until the next annual meeting of the Fund's shareholders and until
their successors  shall have been duly elected and qualified.  The five nominees
named below are  presently  serving as Trustees  of the Fund.  Each  nominee has
agreed to serve as a Trustee if elected.  If any such  nominee is not  available
for  election at the time of the Annual  Meeting,  the persons  named as proxies
will vote for such  substitute  nominee as the Board of Trustees may  recommend.
The nominee whose name is preceded by an asterisk (*) is an "interested  person"
(as defined in the  Investment  Company Act of 1940) because of his  affiliation
with an investment  banking firm. None of the nominees is affiliated with or has
a  material  business  relationship  with  the  Fund's  investment  adviser  and
administrator.

                                      -1-
<PAGE>

     Under  the terms of the  Fund's  Agreement  and  Declaration  of Trust,  as
amended (the "Trust Agreement"), the holders of the APS are entitled as a class,
to the exclusion of the holders of the Common  Shares,  to elect two Trustees of
the Fund.  James F.  Carlin and Thomas H.  Green,  III have been  nominated  for
election by the holders of the APS. The Trust Agreement further provides for the
election  of the other three  nominees  named below by the holders of the Common
Shares  and  the  APS,  voting  as a  single  class.  Election  of  Trustees  is
non-cumulative.  Election of each of the nominees  requires the affirmative vote
of a plurality  of the  applicable  shares of the Fund present and voting at the
Annual Meeting in person or by proxy.

                                    TRUSTEES

NAME AND                                    PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) OVER
OTHER INFORMATION                           PAST FIVE YEARS

APS SHARE NOMINEES

JAMES F. CARLIN(1)   Mr. Carlin is Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Higher
Age: 56, has been a  Education.  He  has  been   Chairman   and  CEO  of  Carlin
Trustee since 1993.  Consolidated, Inc., a management company, since 1968. He is
                     also  a trustee or  director of  various John Hancock funds
                     and a director of Arbella Mutual Insurance Co.

THOMAS H. GREEN, III Mr. Green has been First Assistant Attorney General for the
Age:  37, has been   Commonwealth of Massachusetts  since 1992.  He was formerly
Trustee since 1993.  Vice  President  for  Public  Finance of  the  First Boston
                     Corporation from 1988 to 1992.


OTHER NOMINEES

WALTER B. PRINCE(2)  Chairman of the Fund, Mr. Prince has been a partner of  the
Age: 48, has been    law firm of Peckham, Lobel, Casey, Prince & Tye since 1988.
a Trustee since
1993.

*EDWARD M. MURPHY    Mr. Murphy  is  a Senior Vice President  of  Tucker Anthony
Age: 49, has been    Inc.  He  was  formerly  the   Executive  Director  of  the
a Trustee since      Massachusetts  Health  and Educational Facilities Authority
1993.                from  1989  to 1995.  He  also  previously  served  as  the
                     Commissioner  of  the  Massachusetts  Department of  Mental
                     Health.

JAMES M. STOREY      Mr. Storey was a partner of the law firm  of Dechert  Price
Age:  65, has been   &  Rhoads,  Boston,  Massachusetts,  from  1987  until  his
a Trustee since      retirement   on  December  31,  1993.  He  is  currently  a
1993.                corporate director.  Mr.  Storey  is  a  trustee of various
                     funds administered by SEI Financial Management Corporation.

(1) As of March 24, 1997, 2,000 Common Shares were beneficially owned by
    Mr. Carlin's spouse.
(2) As of March 24, 1997, 145 Common Shares were beneficially owned by
    Mr. Prince.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

     As of March 24, 1997, the officers owned 1,400 Common Shares. No officer or
Trustee of the Fund owns shares of the Fund's APS.

     During the fiscal year ended  December 31,  1996,  the Trustees of the Fund
met four times.  Each Trustee attended at least 75% of such meetings.  The Board
of Trustees has one standing committee, an Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee
is responsible for conferring with the Fund's independent accountants, reviewing
the scope and procedures of the year-end audit,  reviewing the Fund's  financial
statements and recommending the selection of the Fund's independent accountants.
The Audit Committee is presently comprised of Messrs. Prince, Storey, Carlin and
Green. The Audit Committee met two times in 1996. The Board of Trustees does not
have any standing nominating committee or compensation committee.

REMUNERATION OF TRUSTEES

     Trustees,  except  for Mr.  Green,  are  compensated  at the rate of $7,500
annually,  and are  reimbursed  for actual  out-of-pocket  expenses  relating to
attendance  at such  meetings.  During the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1996,
Trustees were paid fees aggregating $22,500.  Beginning in 1997, Mr. Murphy will
begin receiving  compensation.  The following table  summarizes the compensation
paid to Trustees of the Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996:

                                     Pension or
                                     Retirement
                                     Benefits       Estimated
                       Aggregate     Accrued as     Annual          Total
Name of                Compensation  Part of Fund   Benefits Upon   Compensation
Trustee                from Fund     Expenses       Retirement      from Fund
- -------                ---------     --------       ----------      ---------

James F. Carlin        $7,500        none           none            $7,500

Thomas H. Green, III   none          none           none            none

Edward M. Murphy       none          none           none            none

Walter B. Prince       $7,500        none           none            $7,500

James M. Storey        $7,500        none           none            $7,500


     THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF
THE FIVE NOMINEES TO THE FUND'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES.


                PROPOSAL 2. SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

     The Board of Trustees  has selected  Price  Waterhouse  LLP as  independent
accountants  for  the  Fund  for the  fiscal  year  ending  December  31,  1997.
Shareholders  are being asked to ratify the selection of Price Waterhouse LLP to
perform audit services for the Fund.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

     Price  Waterhouse  LLP has acted as  independent  accountants  for the Fund
since the Fund's  inception in 1993. The services  provided by Price  Waterhouse
LLP  include  the  examination  of  the  Fund's  annual  financial   statements,
assistance  and   consultation   in  connection  with  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission filings, and the review of tax matters on behalf of the Fund.

     Price  Waterhouse  LLP is not  expected  to be  represented  at the  Annual
Meeting, but a representative of that firm will be available by telephone should
the need for consultation arise.

     THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES,  INCLUDING  THOSE  TRUSTEES  WHO ARE NOT  INTERESTED
PERSONS OF THE FUND,  RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP AS INDEPENDENT  ACCOUNTANTS OF THE FUND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1997.

                       NOTICE TO BANKS AND BROKER/DEALERS

     The Fund has previously solicited all Nominee and Broker/Dealer accounts as
to the  number of  additional  proxy  statements  required  to supply  owners of
shares.  Should  additional  proxy material be required for  beneficial  owners,
please forward such requests to Investors Bank & Trust Company, 89 South Street,
Boston, MA 02111.

                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OFFICERS OF THE FUND

     The officers of the Fund, with their ages indicated in parenthesis,  are as
follows:  Thomas J. Fetter (53),  President,  and Vice President of Eaton Vance;
Robert B.  MacIntosh  (40),  Vice  President  and  Portfolio  Manager,  and Vice
President of Eaton Vance; Eric G. Woodbury (39),  Secretary,  and Vice President
of Eaton Vance;  and James L. O'Connor  (52),  Treasurer,  and Vice President of
Eaton Vance. All officers of the Fund have served in that capacity since January
5, 1996.  All of the  officers of the Fund have been  employed by Eaton Vance or
their  predecessors  for more than five  years  except Mr.  Woodbury  who was an
associate attorney at Dechert, Price & Rhoads prior to February 1993. Because of
their positions with Eaton Vance and their ownership of Eaton Vance Corp. stock,
the officers of the Fund will benefit from the advisory and administration  fees
paid by the Fund to Eaton Vance.

     Eaton Vance  Management  with its  principal  office at 24 Federal  Street,
Boston,  Massachusetts 02110, serves as the investment adviser and administrator
to the Fund.

     The expense of  preparing,  printing and mailing this Proxy  Statement  and
enclosures  and the  costs of  soliciting  proxies  on  behalf  of the  Board of
Trustees of the Fund will be borne by the Fund.  Proxies  will be  solicited  by
mail and may be  solicited in person or by telephone or telegraph by officers of
the Fund,  by personnel of its  administrator,  Eaton Vance or by  broker-dealer
firms.  The expenses  connected with the  solicitation of these proxies and with
any further  proxies  which may be  solicited by the Fund's  officers,  by Eaton
Vance  personnel,  or by broker-dealer  firms, in person,  or by telephone or by
telegraph  will  be  borne  by  the  Fund.   The  Fund  will  reimburse   banks,
broker-dealer  firms, and other persons holding shares registered in their names
or in the names of their nominees,  for their expenses incurred in sending proxy
material to and obtaining proxies from the beneficial owners of such shares.

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

     All proxy  cards  solicited  by the  Board of  Trustees  that are  properly
executed and received by the Secretary  prior to the meeting,  and which are not
revoked,  will be voted at the meeting.  Shares represented by such proxies will
be voted in accordance with the  instructions  thereon.  If no  specification is
made on the proxy card with  respect to  Proposals 1 and 2, it will be voted for
the  matters  specified  on the proxy card.  For  purposes  of  determining  the
presence or absence of a quorum and for  determining  whether  sufficient  votes
have been  received  for approval of any matter to be acted upon at the meeting,
abstentions  and broker  non-votes  (i.e.,  proxies  from  brokers  or  nominees
indicating that such persons have not received  instructions from the beneficial
owner or other  person  entitled  to vote  shares on a  particular  matter  with
respect to which the brokers or nominees do not have  discretionary  power) will
be treated as shares  that are  present at the  meeting  but which have not been
voted.  Accordingly,  abstentions  and broker  non-votes will assist the Fund in
obtaining a quorum but will have no effect on the outcome of Proposals 1 and 2.

     In the event that sufficient votes by the shareholders of the Fund in favor
of any  Proposal set forth in the Notice of this meeting are not received by May
20, 1997,  the persons named as attorneys in the enclosed  proxy may propose one
or more adjournments of the meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies. A
shareholder  vote  may be taken on one or more of the  Proposals  in this  Proxy
Statement prior to such  adjournment if sufficient  votes have been received and
it is otherwise  appropriate.  Any such adjournment will require the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy at
the session of the meeting to be  adjourned.  The persons  named as attorneys in
the enclosed proxy will vote for which further  solicitation of proxies is to be
made. They will vote against any such  adjournment  those proxies required to be
voted against such Proposal.  The costs of any such additional  solicitation and
of any adjourned session will be borne by the Fund.

     THE FUND WILL  FURNISH,  WITHOUT  CHARGE A COPY OF THE FUND'S ANNUAL REPORT
AND  ITS  MOST  RECENT  SEMI-ANNUAL  REPORT  TO ANY  SHAREHOLDER  UPON  REQUEST.
SHAREHOLDERS  DESIRING TO OBTAIN A COPY OF SUCH REPORTS SHOULD WRITE TO THE FUND
C/O INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY,  89 SOUTH STREET,  BOSTON, MA 02111, OR CALL
1-800-553-1916.

                              SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

     Any  proposals  of  shareholders  that are  intended to be presented at the
Fund's  1998  Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  must be  received  at the Fund's
principal  offices no later than December 1, 1997 and must comply with all legal
requirements  in order to be included in the Fund's proxy  statement and form of
proxy for that meeting.

              THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH & EDUCATION TAX-EXEMPT TRUST


March 31, 1997

                                      -5-
<PAGE>

              THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH & EDUCATION TAX-EXEMPT TRUST
                  ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS, MAY 20, 1997
                 PROXY SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
                       HOLDERS OF AUCTION PREFERRED SHARES


The undersigned holder of Auction Preferred Shares of The Massachusetts Health &
Education Tax-Exempt Trust, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"),  hereby
appoints  WALTER B. PRINCE,  THOMAS J. FETTER and ERIC G. WOODBURY,  and each of
them,  with full power of substitution  and revocation,  as proxies to represent
the  undersigned at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund to be held at
24 Federal Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, on Tuesday, May 20, 1997 at 1:30
P.M., and at any and all adjournments thereof, and to vote all Auction Preferred
Shares of the Fund which the  undersigned  would be entitled  to vote,  with all
powers the undersigned would possess if personally  present,  in accordance with
the instructions on this proxy.

              PLEASE VOTE, DATE, AND SIGN ON OTHER SIDE AND RETURN
                         PROMPTLY IN ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.


DATE:_________________


Please  sign this proxy  exactly as your name  appears on the books of the Fund.
Joint owners should each sign personally.  Trustees and other fiduciaries should
indicate the capacity in which they sign,  and where more than one name appears,
a majority  must sign. If a  corporation,  this  signature  should be that of an
authorized officer who should state his or her title.


______________________________
        Signature(s)
<PAGE>



WHEN THIS PROXY IS  PROPERLY  EXECUTED,  THE SHARES  REPRESENTED  HEREBY WILL BE
VOTED AS SPECIFIED.  IF NO  SPECIFICATION  IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR
THE PROPOSALS SET FORTH BELOW AND IN THE  DISCRETION OF THE PROXIES WITH RESPECT
TO ALL OTHER MATTERS  WHICH MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE ANNUAL  MEETING AND ANY
ADJOURNMENTS  THEREOF. THE UNDERSIGNED  ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF THE ACCOMPANYING
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING AND PROXY STATEMENT.


Please vote by filling in the appropriate   box  below,  as  shown,  using  blue
or black ink or dark pencil. Do not use red ink. [ X ]


1.  To elect five Trustees of the                   FOR except       WITHHOLD
    Fund as follows:                                vote withheld    AUTHORITY
                                                    for nominees     for all
                                             FOR    listed below     nominees

(a) Election of two Trustees to represent  [     ]     [     ]       [     ]
    Auction Preferred Shares:

    James F. Carlin and Thomas H. Green, III

(b) Election of remaining three Trustees   [     ]     [     ]       [     ]
    to represent all shareholders:

    Edward M. Murphy, Walter B. Prince and
    James M. Storey

    (Instructions:  To withhold authority to
    vote for any individual nominee, write
    those nominees' names below:)



2.  To ratify the selection of Price
    Waterhouse LLP as independent accountants
    of the Fund for the fiscal year         For       Against       Abstain
    ending December 31, 1997.             [     ]     [     ]       [     ]

                                   HAS  YOUR ADDRESS  CHANGED?
Mark box at right [ ]              ________________________________
if comments or address change      ________________________________
have been noted on this card.      ________________________________



Please be sure to sign and date this Proxy.
<PAGE>

              THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH & EDUCATION TAX-EXEMPT TRUST
                  ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS, MAY 20, 1997
                 PROXY SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
                            HOLDERS OF COMMON SHARES


The undersigned holder of Common Shares of The Massachusetts  Health & Education
Tax-Exempt Trust, a Massachusetts  business trust (the "Fund"),  hereby appoints
WALTER B. PRINCE, THOMAS J. FETTER and ERIC G. WOODBURY,  and each of them, with
full  power  of  substitution  and  revocation,  as  proxies  to  represent  the
undersigned at the Annual Meeting of  Shareholders  of the Fund to be held at 24
Federal Street,  Boston,  Massachusetts  02110, on Tuesday, May 20, 1997 at 1:30
P.M., and at any and all adjournments  thereof, and to vote all Common Shares of
the Fund which the  undersigned  would be entitled to vote,  with all powers the
undersigned  would  possess  if  personally  present,  in  accordance  with  the
instructions on this proxy.


              PLEASE VOTE, DATE, AND SIGN ON OTHER SIDE AND RETURN
                         PROMPTLY IN ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.


DATE:_______________


Please  sign this proxy  exactly as your name  appears on the books of the Fund.
Joint owners should each sign personally.  Trustees and other fiduciaries should
indicate the capacity in which they sign,  and where more than one name appears,
a majority  must sign. If a  corporation,  this  signature  should be that of an
authorized officer who should state his or her title.


_____________________________
     Signature(s)
<PAGE>


WHEN THIS PROXY IS  PROPERLY  EXECUTED,  THE SHARES  REPRESENTED  HEREBY WILL BE
VOTED AS SPECIFIED.  IF NO  SPECIFICATION  IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR
THE PROPOSALS SET FORTH BELOW AND IN THE  DISCRETION OF THE PROXIES WITH RESPECT
TO ALL OTHER MATTERS  WHICH MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE ANNUAL  MEETING AND ANY
ADJOURNMENTS  THEREOF. THE UNDERSIGNED  ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF THE ACCOMPANYING
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING AND PROXY STATEMENT.

Please  vote  by  filling  in  the appropriate  box below, as shown,  using blue
or black ink or dark pencil. Do not use red ink. [ X ]

1. To elect three Trustees of the                   FOR except       WITHHOLD
   Fund as follows:                                 vote withheld    AUTHORITY
                                                    for nominees     for all
                                             FOR    listed below     nominees

   Edward M. Murphy, Walter B. Prince       [    ]     [    ]         [    ]
   and James M. Storey

   (Instructions:  To withhold authority to
   vote for any individual nominee, write
   those nominees' names below:)



2. To ratify the selection of Price
   Waterhouse LLP as independent
   accountants of the Fund for the
   fiscal year ending December
   31, 1997.                           For          Against         Abstain
                                      [    ]         [    ]          [    ]


                                    HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED?
Mark box at right [ ]               ______________________________
if  comments  or  address           ______________________________
change  have been noted on          ______________________________
this card.



Please be sure to sign and date this Proxy.


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