in the early years students at the columbia school were not separated according to grade all were subject to the same rules among them the following adopted by the trustees on may   "every scholar must be made to name every silent letter in his spelling when he spells a word with one in and mention every figure which is placed over a letter and be taught to know their uses and for every mistake or omission in such letter or figure shall be considered the same as spelling a word wrong and subject to the same usage