SCHOOL NEWS: Teacher Jeff Stone’s popularity with students spans nearly five decades

A LEGENDARY teacher is still going strong after 47 years of teaching at Preston School in Yeovil and has got himself an ever growing following on a Facebook page set-up in his honour.

The Mr Stone (No 1 Teacher) Fan Club page on Facebook has already got nearly 1,500 members – the vast majority of whom have been taught history by Jeff Stone at Preston over the years.

And it looks as if that number is going to continue to grow with organisers of the page looking to publicise it more.

A latest thread on the page has asked members to say how old they are now and when they were at Preston. The ages range from existing Preston School students to those in their 50s when at the school in the 1970s which gives an idea of how Mr Stone’s status as one of Yeovil’s most well-known teachers is going through the generations.

Year 11 student Soff Griffiths posted a video of Mr Stone on the page yesterday (Monday, May 9, 2016) in which the popular teacher thanked people for their kind words.

But he added: “I cannot believe all of it is deserved – I must have been horrible at some time.

“Hopefully all is well with you and everything is moving in the direction you want.

“Take care of yourselves and hopefully see you soon. If you see me in town or in Asda always come and say hello.”

And Mr Stone - better known to students as Stoner - concluded by saying: “Forty-seven years here and still going strong – roll on!”

The video has been “liked” nearly 450 times and “shared” over 100 times by members of the Facebook page.

People have described him as a “legend” and a “perfect gentleman” and “the best teacher” they have ever had.

Although Mr Stone is no longer a full-time member of teaching staff at Preston, he is still regularly used as a supply teacher but has the same enthusiasm and charisma as he did when he first started out which has made him so popular with students over the years.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The highly-respected Preston School teacher Jeff Stone.

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