Spring Break
Passion for history
By: Stacy Edwards
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: News
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Soul is in Ralph James Quincy (RJQ) Adams' 19th century British history course this semester.
"He loves to talk about his 'other' lifestyle apart from being a history professor," Soul said. "He gets decked out in his 'leathers' and rides his motorbike around town. He also enjoys spending Saturday mornings at a local Starbucks."
Adams joined as a faculty member in A&M's history department in 1974. After receiving his bachelor of science from Indiana University, his master of arts from Valparaiso University and his doctorate's from the University of California-Santa Barbara, Adams worked in the North for two years before settling in College Station.
Adams said he came to his concentration, 20th century British history, because sometimes, you just fall in love with a subject.
"I didn't go to university to be what I am," Adams said. "But the truth of the matter is, I had a brilliant teacher, a wonderful teacher, and pretty soon, I was absolutely passionately in love with the subject. And I'm delighted to tell you that he lived long enough to see me succeed in this. It was touching. It was very important to me."
Adams, who grew up for the most part in a suburb of Chicago, knew little about Texas before coming to A&M in 1974.
"I took my doctoral degree in 1972 and [back] then the job market was grim," he said. "I was lucky to get a job teaching at a small liberal arts college in the East. I was happy there, but in a place like that, your primary job is teaching all of these classes and I wanted to do that, but [also] research. There are just so many hours in a day. And then A&M came along and I could do both. I've been here ever since."
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