Glasgow: University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel, Choir Gallery

The Alma Mater Window

This window depicts scenes and symbols which celebrate the Alma Mater.

Upper section: This section depicts the tree of knowledge which is growing and reaching out to the four corners of the Earth.
Primary scene: This section depicts 'Alma Mater' which translates to 'fostering mother'. She is holding two children. There is an inscription below.
Lower section: This section depicts an image of the University of Glasgow’s main building, the Gilmorehill Building.

The Alma mater lancet was dedicated in 1937.

Inscription:
“Via Veritas Vita” – (translation: The Way, the Truth, the Life.)

Artist:
Douglas Strachan (1875-1950) was born in Aberdeen and educated at Robert Gordon’s. Strachan took evening classes at Gray’s School of Art. He worked as an apprentice lithographer, a muralist, a portrait painter and then found his passion for Stained Glass as he worked on a commission in the early 20th century. Strachan’s first major design was for the Peace Palace in The Hague installed in 1929. He worked on many memorial windows, including the renowned designs for the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle, from 1923-1927.The Memorial Chapel at the University of Glasgow was Strachan’s last major design effort, he died in 1950 in the midst of completing the entire scheme, with only 9 of the projected 18 windows completed.