THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, September 16, 1994             TAG: 9409140132
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER       PAGE: 19   EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
                                             LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** The 14 children of Beatrice S. Perkins of Chesapeake attended Deep Creek High School between 1971 and 1994. A story in the Sept. 15/16 edition of The Clipper gave the name of the wrong high school. Correction published in the Chesapeake Clipper on Sunday, September 25, 1994, on page 7. ***************************************************************** BOARD HONORS MOM OF 14 FOR HER PART IN SCHOOLING

She had three basic rules for her kids when it came to school:

If you miss the bus, walk.

If you're really sick, the school will send you home.

Don't let that teacher call here again.

That's how Beatrice S. Perkins raised 14 kids and got them all through Oscar Smith High School between 1971 and last May. Her husband died in 1982.

All their children now are either employed or in college. They support Perkins, who retired several years ago from a job delivering parts for a contractor.

Perkins' secret was strict rules enforced out of love. No phone calls were allowed after 8:30 p.m., and good performance in school was expected.

Monday night, Perkins was honored by the School Board for her achievement.

``My mother said to me, `I really don't understand why they're making a big deal out of all of this. I expected all of you to graduate,' '' said Muriel Y. Perkins, the third child in the family and an assistant principal at Crestwood Middle School.

``She doesn't understand the statistics for single mothers,'' Muriel Perkins said. ``We're fortunate she was in a time warp or something.''

Nine of Perkins' children appeared with her Monday night when she received a certificate and congratulations from the School Board, Superintendent C. Fred Bateman and his staff. by CNB