The Board of Trustees of the Scotland School for Veterans' Children shall admit to the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, under such rules and forms of application as it may adopt, children over six (6) and under sixteen (16) years of age, of a custodial parent or legal guardian who has resided in this Commonwealth for a continuous period of not less than three years prior to application for admission of such children, or prior to the death of the last survivor of such parents, and one or both of whose parents, grandparents, siblings or parents' siblings has served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States and has died in such service or has been honorably discharged therefrom.

Preference in admission shall be as follows: (1) Children whose parent or parents served in the armed forces during any war or armed conflict in which the United States has been, is now or may hereafter be engaged, or in any movement or campaign in connection therewith or resulting therefrom; (2) Children, both of whose parents are dead; (3) Children, with only one living parent; (4) Destitute children not being in the foregoing classes.