Supplement to the John Hancock Institutional Series Trust Prospectus
dated July 1, 1998 for John Hancock Independence Growth Fund
and John Hancock Independence Value Fund
On April 27, 1999, the Trustees of the John Hancock Independence Growth Fund and
John Hancock Independence Value Fund voted to recommend that the shareholders
adopt a distribution plan providing for payments to John Hancock Funds, Inc.
("JH Funds") to provide certain services and to reimburse JH Funds for its
expenses in connection with the sale of fund shares. A shareholder meeting for
each fund will be held on June 16, 1999. Shareholders of record on May 10, 1999
will be entitled to vote on this proposal. If this plan is approved it will be
suspended until July 1, 2000.
April 28, 1999
KI0PS 4/99
