Batman-themed story of Harriet's recruitment

[Cheerio]

Holy Sparkling Pink Recruitment Dresses! It's about time for a new recruitment story here on GC...

Harriet attended Gotham City University (GCU) which had ten NPC sororities named after villainous characters from the 1960's tv show Batman. GCU recruitment featured ten rushee groups, each served by one Rush Commissioner. Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) served GCU as Panhellenic President.

Are you on the edge of your Batseat's in anticipation of a positive outcome? Then BIFF!! SPLATT!! WHAMMM!! Here we go...

OPEN HOUSE

LORD FFOGG: As befit a sorority named after a British Batman Villain, the hospitality of merry olde England greeted rushees. Ice water flowed into teacups with matching saucers from Lord Ffogg tea services. Smartly dressed Lord Ffogg ladies wore Garanimal-style clothing IE mix-and-match clothes for a wide variety of 'looks' (very popular back in the day). Harriet was offered a very narrow 6" X 13" chairseat for her rush interview. This group had a national 'sister' sorority, Lady Peasoup.

SIREN: Enticing Siren songs were voiced by a large, active sea of women. Stately Siren Manor had an annex next door thanks to their large membership numbers. Their rush style assured Harriet was appraised by every chapter member.

RIDDLER: Riddle me this, Batfans: Why did Riddler members reiterate the answers Harriet gave to their questions? Answer: In the Riddler house, as in the Bat Cave, everything echoed. The Riddler members parroting made Harriet dizzy with annoyance.

MINERVA: Wise women graduates from Harriet's high school (many whoooo were named Mary) lived in this chapter, which enjoyed an extended GCU campus history. Harriet left this house smiling!

DR. CASSANDRA SPELLCRAFT: This home's interior featured hospital-white cinder block walls and bare floors. Noise levels proportionate to that of a busy emergency room. Harriet met a member who worked toward a BSN degree. The professional warmth and charm of Dr Cassandra Spellcraft's women made this sorority THE sisterhood Harriet wanted to join.

ARCHER: A merry band of women who spoke of something within their home that had to do with angels, but it wasn't Christmastime. Harriet became re-acquainted with Archer ladies who'd helped her sign-up for rush at a Panhellenic Welcome table prior to beginning of semester.

CHANDELL: This house was known for its piano and multiple beauty queens. Chandell members sported upswept hair with impeccable, polished fingernails and airy pastel-colored clothing. Their rings, earrings, watches, belts, necklaces and shoes perfectly coordinated. The house president and rush captain greeted Harriet but in a curious maneuver, a third Chandell member sat upon a table in front of Harriet during her interview. Uncommon hand gestures by Chandell ladies during their exit song could have gotten Chandell members arrested by Gotham City's Chief O'Hara.

SANDMAN: Brown, tan, fawn and oatmeal colors flowed throughout Sandman's decor. Taupe? Yup. Harriet discovered that in the Sandman sorority world there IS that much cafe au lait! (sidednote: see Sandman decor IRL color example on youtube's "Redundancy Incorporated, Inc" 2012 Fifth Third Bank television commercial).

JOKER: Joker women wore too much makeup with nice dresses. Harriet felt their skit featured awkward inside jokes laughed at only by Joker members.

SHAME: A Western theme featured enthusiastic women running toward rushees from behind their house. More Shame cowgals were singing from their home's windows and doors. Skit performed was similar to those Harriet recognized from family gatherings.




FIRST INVITATIONS

In the days before Bat Computers, GCU sorority invitations were pre-printed 3" X 5" cards with fill-in-the-sorority-name lines. A blank line on each card for Harriet's party time was filled-in after she handed a Rush Commissioner her chosen party cards. Harriet was graciously invited back to:

SHAME: Everything about the Shame house spoke to Harriet of Home Sweet Home on the Range, and she wanted to be their 'pardner' in sorority life forever!

JOKER: The joke was on rushees, as Joker women forgot to round up guests (including Harriet) from two dormitories. After Joker women were contacted and late-arriving rushees accepted into The Joker Hideout, Harriet was asked to make a wish at the house wishing well.

ARCHER: Golden arches contributed to the fast-food theme of an Archer skit. Woman portraying Ronald McDonald never smiled at Harriet, or anyone, during skit or while engaging in later party conversation.

MINERVA: Harriet smiled at every Minerva she made eye contact with, not just the women she was introduced to. Harriet had the brain, spirit and heart equal to these women and wanted them to have her as a member. Popular, peppy 60's tune vocalized by Minervans as rushees exited party.

As much as GCers enjoy a quick recruitment story, I must bid you to tune in tomorrow for the rest of Harriet's adventure. Same Bat Channel!

[tinydancer]

How fun!

[littlesquirrel]

I'm down for this!

[Cheerio]

SECOND INVITATIONS

Coke party cards were distributed by Rush Commissioners when the Bat Signal shone outside the GCU Student Union. Harriet was destined to visit:

ARCHER: Carbonated beverages had never been part of Harriet's drinking repertoire, yet she bravely finished one-third of a small bottle of cola during her pleasant visit. Archer members studious, with the highest active GPA on campus and recent National Archer Scholarship Awards.

SHAME: Conversations with Shame women semi-serious. Several members progressed room-to-room within their home singing a beautiful Shame rush song Harriet has never forgotten, that to this day reminds her of rush whenever she hears it. Harriet definitely wanted these cordial, fun women as her new sisters. She recognized Panhellenic President/Shame member Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) as she exited Shame home.




PREFERENCE INVITATIONS

Maximum two houses visited, one for dinner and one for dessert (dinner if single invite). Rushees allowed to keep special handmade Preference name tag from each home visited. Harriet received the name tag from:


ARCHER: At a sumptuous indoor feast, carefree exchanges transpired between Harriet and enthusiastic Archer women. Then, twinkling eyes shone on faces of sisters and rushees at an inspiring and traditionally significant Archer Preference Ceremony.



RANKING

GCU Panhellenic allowed rushees to list up to three sororities. Rush Commissioners revealed affiliations before ranking, as it had become an open secret each of the ten rush groups began their journey at their Rush Commissioner's sorority home (Harriet's was a Lord Ffogg initiate).

The groups that stole Harriet's heart were (listed in no particular order) Shame; Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft; Archer. Each woman within those homes made Harriet feel like a member of their family.

Harriet noted multiple rushees wore both Chandell and Joker preference name tags (yes, rushees wore nametags during ranking).



BID DAY!

Distribution of bid envelopes between 10am and 3pm. Rush Commissioners called rushees from their version of The Bat Phone after 3pm if they didn't receive a bid. Harriet's bid arrived at 245pm (whew! she had gone batty waiting).

Every sorority had their own special location on or near campus for new members to gather before being driven---if one were lucky, in the Batmobile or Chief O'Hara's paddy wagon---to special parties/functions for the evening.

Harriet's bid invitation described meeting her new sisters on campus at the arches under the owls.

When she arrived at the designated meeting spot, there were TWO new member groups assembled:

one for Shame;

and one for Archer.

Soon GCU sorority members from both NPC groups arrived to apprehend their newest pledges and whisk them away to their separate festivities. Harriet felt a bit wistful not to have been chosen to become a sister in Shame, but she still hangs an Archer preference name tag from her holiday tree each December.




EPILOGUE

GCU has transformed it's Panhellenic situation since the year Harriet initiated into Archer. Ma Parker and her gang wrote a brief campus history, then ran out of ink. Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft retired after a long medical practice. Shame sadly bit the dust. Mad Hatter had a big head filled with big sisterhood ideas when it tossed itself into the ring, but ended up in the dustbin. And Archer lost its zip and zonked-out.

And in keeping with traditional thought that very few know Batman's true identity, I will not reveal the secret identity of Gotham City University's sororities save Archer, which is Alpha Omicron Pi.

[naraht]

According to http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Villain..._(1960s_series)
the Villains created for the series are

King Tut (Victor Buono)
Egghead (Vincent Price)
The Bookworm (Roddy McDowall)
Shame (Cliff Robertson)
Ma Parker (Shelley Winters)
Marsha, Queen of Diamonds (Carolyn Jones)
The Sandman (Michael Rennie)
Black Widow (Tallulah Bankhead)
Siren (Joan Collins)
Colonel Gumm (Roger C. Carmel)
Chandell (Liberace) & Harry (Liberace)
Zelda the Great (Anne Baxter)
Minerva (Zsa Zsa Gabor)
The Minstrel (Van Johnson)
Lord Marmaduke Ffogg (Rudy Vallee)
Louie the Lilac (Milton Berle)
Dr.Cassandra Spellcraft (Ida Lupino)
Nora Clavicle (Barbara Rush)
Olga, Queen of Cossacks (Anne Baxter)
Freddy the Fence (Jacques Bergerac)
Lola Lasagne (Ethel Merman)
Lady Penelope Peasoup (Glynis Johns)
Calamity Jan (Dina Merrill)
Cabala (Howard Duff)

[AOIIalum]

I loved Tallulah Bankhead as Black Widow. She was pretty much awesome in just about anything she was in.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by naraht

According to http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Villain..._(1960s_series)
the Villains created for the series are

King Tut (Victor Buono)
Egghead (Vincent Price)
The Bookworm (Roddy McDowall)
Shame (Cliff Robertson)
Ma Parker (Shelley Winters)
Marsha, Queen of Diamonds (Carolyn Jones)
The Sandman (Michael Rennie)
Black Widow (Tallulah Bankhead)
Siren (Joan Collins)
Colonel Gumm (Roger C. Carmel)
Chandell (Liberace) & Harry (Liberace)
Zelda the Great (Anne Baxter)
Minerva (Zsa Zsa Gabor)
The Minstrel (Van Johnson)
Lord Marmaduke Ffogg (Rudy Vallee)
Louie the Lilac (Milton Berle)
Dr.Cassandra Spellcraft (Ida Lupino)
Nora Clavicle (Barbara Rush)
Olga, Queen of Cossacks (Anne Baxter)
Freddy the Fence (Jacques Bergerac)
Lola Lasagne (Ethel Merman)
Lady Penelope Peasoup (Glynis Johns)
Calamity Jan (Dina Merrill)
Cabala (Howard Duff)

My DH is not a greek - there wasn't even a greek system at his school. Sadly, he rarely gets too excited by sorority/fraternity talk.

HOWEVER, from the moment I read the title of this thread, he was totally enthralled! The little boy who loved Batman with all his heart enjoyed this Bat-Tale, and knew every one of the villains!

Thank you, Cheerio, for your amusing Recruitment story!

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by honeychile

My DH is not a greek - there wasn't even a greek system at his school. Sadly, he rarely gets too excited by sorority/fraternity talk.

HOWEVER, from the moment I read the title of this thread, he was totally enthralled! The little boy who loved Batman with all his heart enjoyed this Bat-Tale, and knew every one of the villains!

Thank you, Cheerio, for your amusing Recruitment story!

You and your husband are most welcome, honeychile!

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the premier Batman tv show episode. According to wikipedia, the first episode's villain was The Riddler.