COMPTON : Services Held for Ex-School Official

Services were recently held for Manuel Correa, a retired city police commander and the first Latino school board member of the Compton district. Correa, 70, died May 22 of heart failure.

A 47-year resident of Compton, Correa served on local school boards for 30 years and was one of the most influential Latinos in the city.

Correa was appointed to what was then called the Compton Union High School District board in 1963 and was then elected to the position in 1965. In 1969, he was appointed a board member of the new Compton Unified School District, which was formed from four smaller districts. Correa was reelected five times.

He was known in the community for his accessibility and his efforts to counsel troubled youngsters. He frequently took teen-agers to baseball and basketball games and encouraged them to work hard in school. Correa also regularly spoke at schools to warn students against gangs and drugs. In the early 1980s, he opened an Alameda Street youth center, where youngsters learned boxing and gymnastics.

Correa later came under fire for supporting the administrators in charge of the financially and academically struggling school district. Some parents and Latino activists grew dissatisfied with Correa for his unwillingness to criticize district management over virtually any issue, including alleged discrimination against Latino employees and students.

“But I believe he did his best,” said Pedro Pallan, an activist and businessman. “He was one Latino among seven board members and the majority always wins. It’s a hard job and I really think the man did a lot for the Latino community just by being there.”

Born in Guadalajara, Correa came to Los Angeles in 1928 at age 4, later moved to Compton and joined the city police department in 1953. He moved up the ranks, and served as acting chief twice. He retired in 1985 as a commander--the first Latino to reach that rank. The city subsequently named a walkway next to the police station after him.

Correa had a massive heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery in 1985, just after he left the police department. He nevertheless ran for reelection on the school board that year. His heart problems flared up again several years later and he was frequently absent from board meetings in 1992 and 1993, the year he retired.

He died at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where he had been hospitalized since February.

Correa is survived by his wife, Mary; son, Daniel; daughters Lauren, Claudia, Camille and Rossana Preciado; mother, Maria Moreno; brothers, Fred and Louie; 12 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.