LEWISTON – School officials Monday unveiled four new paintings that show each of Lewiston’s last four public high schools.

They will hang in the current school’s cafeteria.

Framed in black and lit by new recessed lighting, the bright oil paintings line the white back wall of the cafeteria. Each picture shows one of the city’s last four high schools, from the 315 Main St. Lewiston High School, which opened in 1859, to the current East Avenue school, which was built in 1973.

While each school is different, every painting highlights the buildings’ bright red bricks and shows the schools with deep blue skies in the background.

The paintings measure 89 by 51 inches. They were done over two years by Lewiston High School art teacher Nathaniel Meyer and some of his older art students.

Monday night’s unveiling ceremony lasted 45 minutes and was held at Lewiston High School at the beginning of the Lewiston School Committee meeting. The ceremony included music from the school choir and a speech from Assistant Principal John Bouchles, who came up with the project a few years ago as a way to educate students about their city’s history.

“A lot of young people today don’t have that connection with who we are, yet we have this great tradition,” Bouchles said a few hours before the unveiling. “I wanted them to know that.”

Although there have been five high schools in Lewiston since 1850, there are no photos of the first school. Meyer and his students started their series of paintings with the second school, which was built at 315 Main St. and remained Lewiston High School from 1859 to 1901. The third school was named Jordan High School and was built on Nichols Street in 1901. It remained the city high school until 1931.

The fourth school was built on Central Avenue in 1932. It was named Lewiston High School and it remained the city’s secondary school until 1973, when the current high school was built.