Founded in 1879, Sam Houston State University is one of the oldest institutions in Texas, steeped in history and long-standing tradition. Scottish Stained Glass was honored to partner with the university to recreate a treasured piece of its past. The school’s motto, “The measure of a Life is its Service,” was originally displayed in a stained glass window that once graced one of SHSU’s historic buildings. After a devastating fire in 1982 destroyed the structure and all of its stained glass, the university commissioned our team to revive this meaningful artwork. Over the course of nearly a year, we produced a faithful recreation that now stands as both a tribute to what was lost and a celebration of the university’s enduring legacy.

Location: Huntsville, Texas
Client: Sam Houston State University
Project Type: Full replication and recreation of a historic stained glass window
Timeline: Approximately one year
Original Context: Reproduction of a commemorative window lost in the 1982 campus fire
Glass Details: 3,000–4,000 individually hand-painted and kiln-fired glass pieces
Design Features:

• Recreated artwork based on archival photos and historical references

• Enlarged framework built at twice the original size for greater visual impact

• Multi-layer kiln-fired paint techniques to achieve depth, shading, and historical authenticity
  Installation Site: Newly renovated Student Center, installed alongside a commemorative plaque honoring the window’s legacy

This project represented Scottish Stained Glass’s first full-scale stained glass replication, challenging our artisans to reach new levels of precision, research, and craftsmanship. With only a single reference photograph from a 1964 yearbook, our team digitally scanned and reconstructed the artwork to scale, ensuring the proportions and details stayed true to the original. One of the greatest challenges was sourcing glass that matched materials produced more than a century ago. Since no direct equivalents existed, our conservation specialists meticulously hand-painted and kiln-fired each piece—sometimes applying more than ten layers of paint to achieve the correct tones, shading, and historical character.

The finished window, recreated at nearly twice the size of the original, is both a tribute to the artisans who crafted the first piece and a reflection of our commitment to preserving cultural heritage. The SHSU community was deeply moved by the installation, which now stands as a powerful, permanent reminder of the university’s values, legacy, and resilience.