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James Bryant Conant's book, "The Education of America" (1963), triggered a major change in physical education curricula. Formerly a (sports) skills and applied techniques oriented discipline, physical education has expanded to areas such as kinesiology and sports sociology. However, performance and performance courses are still an important aspect of the college curriculum of physical education majors. Questions about the role of this aspect of physical education concern: 1) degree and number of actual performance skills and abilities; 2) appropriate entry standards of performance competence for majors; 3) the possibility of structuring performance courses so that they are pursued apart from professional application; 4) the relationship between professional education, disciplinary study, and performance courses; and 5) the roles of faculty responsible for performance courses. (CJ)