Holmes, Presley D.

Presley D. Holmes' formal higher education started at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 1950, he obtained his bachelor's degree in Speech, with a minor in English, Social Science and Education. He also received a teaching certificate at the secondary school level. He continued his education at the University of Michigan from 1950 to 1951, where he earned a master's degree in Speech (Radio). After serving in the military as an instructor of U.S. Army Psychological Warfare, from 1951 to 1953, he studied for a year at the University of Paris, Sorbonne, where he was awarded the Degé Annuel, Mention Bien. In 1959, Holmes completed his graduate studies and earned his doctorate in Speech (TV) with a minor in Educational Psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit.

He started his broadcasting career at WHRV, Ann Arbor, while studying at the University of Michigan. Holmes interrupted his pursuit of advanced degrees to work in commercial television in Detroit from 1954 to 1957, on the production staff of WWJ-TV. During the same period, he was a substitute teacher for the Detroit Public Schools. After receiving his Ph.D., Holmes stayed at Wayne State, where he taught speech and public address as an assistant professor from 1959 to 1962. He also directed a Ford Foundation TV Teaching Project from 1960 to 1961, involving videotaping eight complete classroom courses for closed-circuit and broadcast (WTVS) use.

...