Decatur County schools keep Riverside R logo during licensing talks

Riverside High School’s familiar Old English R will stay on uniforms, signs and spirit wear for now, giving Decatur County families a reprieve as school officials work to lock down a permanent licensing deal with Rice University.

Decatur County School System said it received verbal permission from Rice University, through the university’s patent attorney, to keep using Riverside’s trademarked R for non-profit, educational purposes while a low-cost licensing agreement is finalized. The temporary approval matters because the letter is more than decoration in Decaturville. It is tied to the school’s athletic identity, the Panthers and Lady Panthers, and the blue-and-gold branding students, alumni and boosters see on gym banners, digital graphics and merchandise.

The district’s update also drew a clear line around what comes next. Verbal permission allows Riverside to keep using the mark in the near term, but it does not replace a written agreement. A finalized license still has to spell out how the logo can be used and what limits apply, especially if any use moves beyond school and athletic purposes. If a permanent agreement falls through, the district could again face pressure to rework logos, replace branded items and change the visual identity that has followed Riverside for decades.

That identity carries real local weight. Riverside High School opened in 1965 as the consolidated countywide high school for Decatur County, bringing together students from Decaturville High School, Parsons High School and Crowder High School. Today, the TSSAA directory lists the school as a public school in Decaturville with 457 enrolled students. For a campus that serves a relatively small community, even a logo dispute can ripple through pep rallies, alumni events and the everyday look of the school.

The issue first surfaced publicly when reports in August 2025 said Riverside was being forced to change its logo because of similarities with a college. Rice later granted permission for Riverside to keep using the iconic mark. The university’s branding materials explain why the matter has been handled carefully: Rice says its name, logo, seal, mascot and other identity assets have intrinsic reputational and marketing value, and that prior written permission is required for use of its official marks.

For now, that means the Old English R remains part of Riverside’s image while the paperwork catches up to the school’s needs. In Decatur County, the symbol is still standing, but only temporarily until the licensing deal is finished.