John Hancock Disciplined Growth Fund
                           John Hancock Discovery Fund
                        John Hancock Emerging Growth Fund
                            John Hancock Growth Fund
                         John Hancock Regional Bank Fund
                       John Hancock Special Equities Fund
                     John Hancock Special Opportunities Fund
                             (together, the "Funds")

         Supplement to Class A and B Prospectus, effective July 1, 1996

            (to be distributed to investors in the State of Maryland)


The Funds' investment  objectives and primary investment  policies are described
from page 4 to page 17 of the  prospectus.  The  Funds  may also use  additional
investment   practices   which  have  specific  risks   associated   with  them.
Particularly, please note:

o    The  Funds  may  engage  in  transactions  in some or all of the  following
     derivative instruments:  financial futures and related options,  securities
     and index options and currency  contracts.  The risks associated with their
     use include:  interest rate risk,  currency  risk,  market risk,  hedged or
     speculative  leverage risk,  correlation risk,  liquidity risk, credit risk
     and opportunity risk.

o    John Hancock  Emerging  Growth Fund may invest up to 10% of total assets in
     non-investment  grade convertible  securities  ("convertibles"),  which are
     debt  securities  that can be converted into equity  securities at a future
     time.  Convertibles  rated below BBB/Baa are considered  "junk" bonds.  The
     risks  associated  with  their use  include:  credit  risk,  valuation  and
     information risk, interest rate risk, market risk and liquidity risk.

These instruments and other "higher-risk securities and practices" are described
on page 29 of the prospectus.  The risks  associated with these  instruments are
defined  under  the  heading  "Types  of  Investment  Risk"  on  page  28 of the
prospectus.


July 1, 1996


GRMDS