The secretary of a Class I, II, III, or IV school district shall take, or cause to be taken by some person appointed for the purpose by a majority vote of the school board, the census of the school district and then make or cause to be made a list in writing of the names of all the children belonging to such district, from birth through twenty years of age, together with the names of all the taxpayers in the district. A copy of the list, verified by oath of the person taking such census or by affidavit appended to or endorsed on the list, setting forth that it is a correct list of the names of all children belonging in the district from birth through twenty years of age and that it reflects such information as of June 30, shall be maintained as provided in section 79-524.