8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                        Date of Report November 19, 1997

                            AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
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             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)


         Delaware                      0-27036                  14-1783770
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(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File No.)        (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)                                     Identification No.)


 11 Division Street, Amsterdam, New York                              12010-4303
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(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (518) 842-7200
                                                            --------------------

                                       N/A
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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)





Item 5. Other Events
- --------------------

On November 19, 1997, the Registrant issued the press release attached hereto as
Exhibit 99 announcing its Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend.


Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
- -----------------------------------------

     (c)  Exhibits

     The  Exhibits  referred  to in  Item 5 of this  Report  and  listed  on the
accompanying Exhibit Index are filed as part of this Report and are incorporated
herein by reference.



                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  Report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                            AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.



Date:     November 19, 1997              By: /s/Robert J. Brittain
      ---------------------------           ---------------------------------
                                            Robert J. Brittain
                                            President & Chief Executive Officer




Exhibit
Number                            Description
- -------        ---------------------------------------------------

  99                   Press release dated Nobember 19, 1997

EX-99

PRESS RELEASE


                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                              ---------------------

Contacts:
Robert J. Brittain, President and CEO
Tel:(518) 842-7200
Fax:(518) 842-7500
Harold A. Baylor, Jr.,  Vice Pres., CFO, and Treas.
Tel:(518) 842-7200
Fax:(518) 842-1688


       Ambanc Holding Co., Inc. Announces Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend
       ------------------------------------------------------------------


Amsterdam,  N.Y.,  November 19, 1997 - Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.  (NASDAQ - AHCI)
today  announced  a regular  quarterly  cash  dividend  of 5 cents a share.  The
dividend  will be paid on December 15,  1997,  to  stockholders  of record as of
December 1, 1997.

The company recently  announced earnings for the nine-months ended September 30,
1997 of $2 million, or $0.49 a share, compared to $768,000, or $0.16 a share, in
1996.

Ambanc  Holding Co.,  Inc. is a unitary  savings and loan holding  company.  The
company's primary  subsidiary,  Amsterdam Savings Bank, F.S.B.,  operates twelve
(12)  full-service  banking offices in Montgomery (4), Saratoga (4), Fulton (1),
Schenectady  (1), and Albany (2)  Counties in the Capital  Region of upstate New
York.





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