This webpage describes methods for creating tables in Word 97:

Word 97 - Tables



Don't bother going down this rabbit hole if your goal is to produce and format a table consisting cells with x rows and y columns. The "Insert" menu won't get you close. It's for things like a "table" of contents. But I don't think that's what you're looking for.

Stick to the "Tables" menu. If you need to format TEXT in a table you've already produced, use the "Format" menu. But you can't modify the size or shape of a table through the "Format" menu. That's what the "Tables" menu is for.

Once you have a table, try right-clicking A LINE in the table -- not the text in the table -- to bring up a context menu consisting of table formatting options. Note, however, that all functionality of the context menu can also be found in the Table menu.