He’s recognizable.

The short ponytail with the intellectual, thin-framed glasses seem to contradict each other; his colorful collared shirts are complemented by his silly ties. When the tall professor leaves his classroom he strides confidently while his eyes roam curiously through his surroundings. You already know who he is.

Stewart Jacoby graduated from Stagg, earned his doctorate in American history with a focus on the intellectual and social side, taught in college, and came back to his alma mater to teach history. He’s had an impressive record teaching and traveling (like going to West Africa with the Peace Corps) and he can tell you every bit of it — he likes to talk with people. Just ask him something.
He said this last year has been a unique experience and it’s been an honor to teach at Stagg. But he’s ending on a good note; this has been one of his most successful years. For example, the Advanced Placement U.S. History class reviewed all the chapters at least once, which may not sound like a huge success, but ask anyone in there and they’ll say it is.
And yeah, he is a history teacher, but he’s not focused on the past.
No, this guy has ideas, this guy has plans.
Jacoby says he’s probably going to sleep in for a while once school lets out, maybe see some friends in Oregon, go hiking (he loves the mountains), work on some projects in his barn, and tend to his garden. As anyone can see, he likes staying active. And some may not know that he loves classical music. He played the french horn in Stagg’s band when he attended and he passed on the passion to his children — his son played in solo concerts with the Russian Orchestra when he was 9.
He also founded the Cincinnati Brass Fellowship in 1994, who bring together amateur and professional musicians to play together. He’s worked with many musicians from major orchestras across the U.S. when he managed a musical instrument repair shop in Cincinnati. “(And now) I’m trying to recover my ‘horn lip’ so I can play the French horn inensembles around the area,” he said.
But that’s not all of his plans.
It’s good news for the students that are going to miss him because this won’t be the last time they’re going to see him. He’s not done yet; and if you know Jacoby, you know he’s never finished, even after the bell rings.
“I want to be engaged in the community,” he said. “I don’t want to run things or be the boss, but just be a team player and help out.”
And he’s already getting started. Stagg has been lacking a strong Alumni Association, but Jacobi’s worked with several others to get it going. So far it has helped the yearbook program and paid for part of the AP exams, dropping the price from $80 to $56.
Besides those things, he doesn’t have a definite set of plans. But he does have some ideas.
“The first few months will be a rhythm: when the fruit comes in, I’m going to be canning. My wife has a couple of projects we’re going to work on together. (But) the world is out there.” And he plans to see it.
Italy, Peru, snorkeling, scuba diving — the works. “I plan to be living for a long time,” he said. “And I’m going to see where my wife and I can go.” But don’t forget he’ll still be around.
Stewart Jacoby is the social studies and psychology teacher, the father and grandfather, the friend and husband.
He will be retiring, but it’s only another part of the journey. He may not be a teacher after this school year, but he will still be around.

The bell didn’t stop him, and neither will retirement.