After finishing high school in Martinsville, Adams moved to Seymour with his parents and registered for Wabash College. In the fall of 1871, Adams attended Wabash College Preparatory School. At Wabash, he studied Mathematics, Latin, Rhetoric and Drawing as a first year student. During that period, he tried to save as much money as possible, and the only luxury he enjoyed was the occasional ice cream soda. Although he was able to study art at Wabash, the introductory level Topography theory taught in art classes was too basic and could not satisfy young Adams’ desire to learn more art skills. Therefore, after meeting a Scottish artist while visiting his parents’ home in 1872, Adams accepted the artist’s invitation and travelled to the London South Kensington School of Art in England for a full-time art course taught by Jno. Parker. Although Adam’s Wabash experience ended in 1872, the education he received proved a treasure for his life. Wabash granted him an honorary degree of Master of Arts in 1898.

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