UNITED STATES
               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20549
                                
                          SCHEDULE 13G
                                
            Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                  (Amendment No._____________)*
                                
                    ROCKY SHOES & BOOTS INC.
                        (Name of Issuer)
                                
                          COMMON STOCK
                 (Title of Class of Securities)
                                
                            774830103
                         (CUSIP Number)
                                
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this
statement ___.  (A fee is not required only if the filing person:
(1) has a previous statement on file reporting beneficial
ownership of more than five percent of the class of securities
described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of
such class.) (See Rule 13d-7).

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a
reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to
the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment
containing information which would alter the disclosures provided
in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page
shall not be deemed to be filed for the purpose of Section 18 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) or otherwise subject to
the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject
to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).





SEC 1745 (2-95)
CUSIP No.774830103            13G            Page 2 of 4 Pages

1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
  S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
     Ohio PERS          31-6159380
  
2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
  (a)___         NA
  (b)___         NA
  
3.   SEC USE ONLY

4.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
      US
      277 EAST TOWN STREET
      COLUMBUS, OH  43215

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
WITH:
5.   SOLE VOTING POWER
      245,000

6.   SHARED VOTING POWER
      NA

7.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
      245,000

8.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
      NA

9.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
      245,000
  
10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
  CERTAIN SHARES*
      NA

11.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
      4.50

12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
      EP


Item 1.
(a)  Name of Issuer
        ROCKY SHOES & BOOTS INC

(b)  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices
        39 EAST CANAL ST., NELSONVILLE, OH  45764

Item 2.
(a)  Name of Person Filing
        Christy Ruoff
   
(b)  Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence
        277 East Town Street, Columbus, OH  43215
   
(c)  Citizenship
        US

(d)  Title of Class of Securities
        COMMON STOCK

(e)  CUSIP Number
        774830103

Item 3.  If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b),
or 13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:
 (a)  __Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act
 (b)  __Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act
 (c)  __Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the
      Act
 (d)  __Investment Company registered under section 8 of the
      Investment Company Act
 (e)  __Investment Adviser registered under section 203 of the
      Investment Advisers Act of 1940
 (f)  X Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to
      the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
      1974 or Endowment Fund; see 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(F)
 (g)  __Parent Holding Company, in accordance with 240.13d-
      1(b)(ii)(G) (Note:  See Item 7)
 (h)  __Group, in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)
 
 Item 4.  Ownership
   If the percent of the class owned, as of December 31 of the
 year covered by the statement, or as of the last day of any
 month described in Rule 13d-1(b)(2), if applicable, exceeds
 five percent, provide the following information as of that date
 and identify those shares which there is a right to acquire.
 
   (a)  Amount Beneficially Owned
            245,000
   
   (b)  Percent of Class
            4.50
   
   (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:  245,000
        (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote   245,000
        (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote NO
        (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
        of 245,000
        (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the
        disposition of NO
        
        
                            SIGNATURE
                                
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.

                            _____________________________________
                                                             Date

                            _____________________________________
                                                        Signature

                            _____________________________________
                                                       Name/Title