Little was raised by her family friend because both of her parents were killed when she was three. She graduated from Shortridge High School in 1915 and received a diploma from the Indianapolis Normal School in 1918 when she began teaching. In 1928, Little moved to Los Angeles with her husband and finished her undergraduate training in UCLA. She taught in the Los Angeles school sytem until her retirement in 1967.
The Mary Lou Allison Loving Cup Award is presented at each Boule to the chapter reporting the most successful program.
