Recalling letters from the Soviet Union

In 1970, Leslie Tassin was a sixth grade teacher at Simmesport High School.
As part of a class project, he instructed his 60 students in two classes to write a letter to the president of the then Soviet Union (what is today Russia) and several smaller countries.
He selected the eight best letters and mailed them in two envelopes to the following address: Mr. Kosign, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR. They were mailed on February 17, 1970 in Bordelonville where Tassin was living at the time.
The postmaster, Martin Tassin, told Leslie they would never make it to their destination. “It was like today writing a letter to the President and mailing it to: Mr. Obama, White House, Washington, D.C.,” Tassin said. “I didn’t think we would get a response.” One envelope came back to Bordelonville stating that 40 cents of additional postage was needed.
Lemoine never mailed it back. The other envelope did, however, reach Moscow.
During April, 1970, two students, Alvin Dauzat and Irvin Alexander, received a response from Dimitry Muravyevj, Secretary General of the Institute of Soviet American Relations. The letters were different in content but both were pro-Soviet, stating their opposition to the war in Vietnam and other matters.
“I was so excited to go to school the next day and show everyone,” Alexander said. “I was totally excited. I couldn’t believe it.” These two letters were given to Tassin by the students.
During the past 44 years, he kept them in his safety deposit box and recently re-discovered them by accident. Sherman Bell, a third student, also had a letter in the package received in Moscow. He did not, however, recall getting a response.
After 44 years, Tassin, who now lives in Baton Rouge, reunited with the students to share the original letters.
Irvin Alexander’s letter read:
”Dear Irwin, (their spelling) Your letter was forwarded to us. In reply to your letter in which you put some questions before us, we should like to inform you that our people are free to believe or not to believe in God. There are some religious people here in the Soviet Union but most of them are of old age.
“As for your second question- “Why we don’t like the U.S.?”- we can answer you that we don’t agree with U.S. foreign policy. We are against the war in Vietnam. We come out for solving international disputes not by the way of war but by the way of negotiations. But our attitude to the American people is quite different. We respect American astronauts, scientists, sportsmen...those Americans who protest the war in Vietnam.
“We come out in favour of better relations and better understanding between our countries. According to your request we shall send you some pictures and informational material about Soviet Union under separate cover.
“Sincerely, Dmitry Muravyev Secretary General Alvin”
Dauzat’s letter read:
“ Dear Alwin, (their spelling)
“Your letter was forwarded to us. In your letter you say that the Soviet Union ‘wants to take over more land.’ It is not true. You should study more and read more about the history of the Soviet Union and its foreign policy in the past and now you will find out that the Soviet Union never wage such kind of war and even propaganda of aggressive war is prohibited under the Law in the Soviet Union.
“Our country always comes out for better relations and better understanding between the countries of different social systems including the U.S.A. In addition we shall send you some pictures of the leaders of our state and the Communist party of the Soviet Union under separate cover.
“ Sincerely yours, Dmitry Muravyev Secretary General”