Orchid Over My Apron
 

So I went to the Library today on campus to get a copy of Baird's. I was lucky enough to check out the 17th edition and the Bicentennial edition. While I was in that section I checked out this neat little book. It is call "Orchid Over My Apron" by Lou Winston Collins. The Preface says this:
"This small book records the experiences I have had as a housemother in a sorority house. The incidents have been amusing and entertaining. Some have actually happened to me; some I have heard told; and some have come by the grapevine."

The book is dedicated to "the members of the fraternities and sororities on the campus of the University of Texas."

It looks quite amusing. It's a small book and is 50 pages long. It is copyright 1952 by The Naylor Company in San Antonio, TX.

Just wanted to share this!

How fun!

Is there a picture of her? I'm imagining a cross between Barbara Bel Geddes, Harriette Nelson & June Clever.

Does it say which sorority?

As a UT grad, I'll definitely be looking for this. Thanks for the tip.:)

Just out of curiosity, does the book mention real GLO names, or (other)? I'll bet it's interesting - I had a chance to talk with a retired housemother once! :eek:

Copyright 1952...at least she didn't have to deal with Farrah Fawcett! :rolleyes:

It does not use any real sororitiy names or fraternity names. It just says this under Acknowledgments:

"I wish to express my appreciation to George and Joe, whose interest, encouragement and help have made this small book possible. I am indebted to Geroge for this title. I am indebted to the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity on the campus of the University of Texas for the use of the song, "It Ain't What You'd Call A Bed Of Roses." I am also grateful to those hostesses who told a few of these incidents."

It has a few illustrations that are in black and white. One is a picture of some girls on the roof of their house drinking and the house mother peering up through her window. Pretty funny!

Here are what the stories are called:

I Grab the Orchid (about rush)
The Schedule
Mice, Men, Monkeys
Pinning is such sweet sorrow
Do penguins hatch ice cubs
Sheriff Hicks says it is a hoax
No Canary--Positive
Christmas
A strange noise (the pic of the girls on the roof goes with this one)
The water fight (about a trophy being stolen and found at a fraternity house)
I don Bluejeans
Varsity Carnival
Riding High
A Toast

The Toast I take is a toast to the housemother, it's short and sweet:

"She beams like a beautiful flower
Food is her middle name,
She lives in a lovely bower
And her girls have not yet made her lame."

I hope some of ya'll can find a copy of it, because it's quite funny!

Act fast, somebody:

Orchid Over My Apron, from AbeBooks.com; and

Orchid Over My Apron, from Alibris.com.

(It looks like both of these may be from the same used bookstore).