Re: "District weighs sell-off options," Friday, Sept. 28.

In 1871 when the Dominion Land Survey was started with intent to divide Canadian lands into townships, sections and 1/4 sections, and in some cases further down to acres, such lands were specifically designated to certain parties, mainly the CPR, Hudson's Bay and schools.

Each township consisted of 36 sections and was numbered from one to 36. Five per cent was assigned to the HBC, 15 sections were assigned to the CPR and two sections from each township were assigned for schools, for a total of 1,280 acres dedicated for schools from each township.

The intent of the dedication for schools was to sell the lands as needed to raise funds to build schools where and as needed.

School boards were given a clear mandate to sell, keep and trade lands where and as needed to facilitate the needs.

Today school boards still maintain a clear mandate to sell lands as needed. Lands dedicated for schools are Crown lands and school boards are agents of the Crown and since the 1870s have maintained the mandate to sell, buy, trade or keep said lands for the purposes intended - schools.

David Menzies Coquitlam