The twelve Lower Military Houses of Education contain, as has been said, only military places.[21] These appertain, in the first instance, to the legitimate sons of all soldiers bearing arms,[22] whether born in marriage of the first, or in marriage of the second degree.[23] Subordinately to these, a lawful claim exists in the following cases:—
1. Sons of soldiers serving in the Trabant Body Guard, the Court Watch, the Outfit Commission, and other military bodies.[24]
2. Sons of fathers belonging to the Reserve,[25] without prejudice, however, to sons of soldiers in actual service.
3. Sons of invalided soldiers,[26] not only in cases where the father has already married at the date of his reception as invalided, but also in those where marriage has been subsequently permitted.
4. Sons of those who have either as substitutes or otherwise served double time, and are now in the employment in connection with the Court or Government, even in cases where marriage has been contracted after quitting the service.
5. Sons of men belonging to the military service, not included in the above-mentioned cases, namely, the sons of Prima-planists,[27] Employés, and Officers.
In any large number of candidates special regard should be had to the sons of fathers who have been killed or invalided on the field; after these, to those who are orphans on both sides; then to the sons of substitutes and other soldiers in actual services; and last follow in order the sons of fathers either belonging to the Reserve or received as Invalides, or otherwise connected with the Military Service.
As the sons of Officers serving with the sword[28] have a large number of places reserved for their benefit in the Cadet Institutions and the Academies, their admission into Military Houses of Education, more especially into the Lower House of Education, is only allowable when no prejudice is caused to the above-mentioned claimants, and as a general rule can only take place when they are orphans, or under special circumstances.
The age of admission is the completion of the seventh year. Children under this age who are orphans on both sides, or whose fathers being widowers, have to serve in the field, will be received into the Orphan House at Vienna, and be transferred on completing their seventh year to the Lower Houses of Education. Children who have passed the prescribed age for admission into the first class of the Lower Houses of Education can only be admitted, in case of their possessing the requisite amount of knowledge, into the classes corresponding to their age, and in case of there being places vacant in these classes; any addition to the prescribed numbers in the respective years is not allowable.