Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 12, 1990                   TAG: 9007130030
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: N-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARY JO SHANNON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD EDITOR HAD CAREER SIGHTS SET EARLY

Adams carried papers for many years. When he was 16 years old, his father made a request of Shields Johnson, general manager of the Times-World Corp.: "This boy is too old to be carrying papers. Put him to work!"

Adams started working in the mail room and circulation department in June 1967 and has worked at the newspaper continuously since then, except for time spent in the Coast Guard Reserve.

Even then he pursued his newspaper career. He sought and received permission to be a Coast Guard journalist and became the first Reserve Coast Guard journalist.

"Before I had finished high school I was working full time at the Roanoke Times," he recalled, taking time out for an interview in the roof garden of the Times-World building.

"I chose my college, Virginia Southern Business College, because it was close to work - just a block away."

Adams said he learned two things at the school - how to type, and that he didn't want to become an accountant.

While he was attending college, he started to pal around with a couple of sportswriters at the newspaper. When an opening occurred in the sports department, he begged the editor to give him a chance at it.

"I didn't know a headline from a deadline," he laughed.

But he was willing to learn. He sat next to "Soup" Wimmer, a crusty old sports layout editor, according to Adams.

"He told me, `Boy, you sit next to me, and watch everything I do - then do just the opposite!' "

That is how Bob Adams learned the basics of the newspaper business. He said it was exciting to attend the sporting events, and he soon learned to write a decent story without too much effort.

His writing must have been better than "decent." In 1973 he received a first-place award for stories on his attempt to drive a race car at Martinsville.

When the newspaper converted from hot type to cold type in 1972, Adams left the sports department to become makeup editor of the morning edition. This job involved overseeing the makeup of pages and preparing them for the press. It introduced him to another phase of the business.

In 1980, the decision was made to begin a weekly Neighborhood section. It would have four separate editions, each circulated within one geographical zone. Because advertising rates are based on circulation, this would provide small businesses with affordable advertising. It also would permit more news coverage of local events.

Adams was named the editor of this section.

"At that time it was almost a one-man operation," he said. "I decided what to print and wrote most of the stories myself."

A little over a year later, Cody Lowe took over as Neighborhood editor and Adams returned to sports.

He worked as a sports reporter and copy editor until about a year and a half ago when the newspaper added the Bedford-Franklin edition.

"At that time I came back as makeup editor of the morning editions," he said. "I feel that my many jobs in various departments have helped me learn and understand the newspaper business. It's really all I've ever known."

Adams recently received another publishing award. He and evening-edition layout editor Marty Horne tied as winners in the copy-editing competition of the 1989 Landmark Awards.

Adams does have a few interests other than the newspaper. He enjoys boating and fishing.

"I used to know every rock in Smith Mountain Lake," he said. "I think I've hit them all."

Adam's wife, Nancy, is a nurse and daughter Jana wants to be a teacher.

His son, Danny, may have inherited his father's writing ability, but does not plan to become a newspaperman. Instead, he is an aspiring novelist.