I really enjoyed Susan Straight's article "One Mother's Mission" (Feb. 4). I too will never forget building my mission in fourth grade. Even though I spent hours carefully constructing my not-so-striking rendition of La Purisima, the salt-and-flour dough it was made of crumbled and disintegrated for the most part.
I was able to salvage pieces of it, and I still have the bell tower, complete with tinfoil bells. The mission project has become a rite of passage for kids across California, a way for them to connect to the unique history of our state. It is an experience we can all share.
