def assign(attribute, value)
      unless value == :skip || attribute == :class
        if item.respond_to?("#{attribute}=")
          item.send("#{attribute}=", value)
        elsif item.is_a?(Hash)
          item[attribute] = value
        end
      end
    end
def assign(attribute, value)
      unless value == :skip || attribute == :class
        if item.respond_to?("#{attribute}=")
          item.send("#{attribute}=", value)
        elsif item.is_a?(Hash)
          item[attribute] = value
        end
      end
    end
Assign the value to the given attribute of the item