Magic-black magic or white magic are the same and are both forbidden to us as are the books on them or referencing them. Rabbi Rubinstein was making the point that kishuf (magic) powers are much less today than they were years ago, however it is still forbidden for us to read.
Thank you Matan1- the Netziv did indeed close the yeshiva because the government demanded Russian and math to be taught.
Basic and complex literacy in English can be learned by studying some suitable Jewish texts in English, or in the translations into English from their original Hebrew of suitable Jewish books.